Waking Angel
by EarthHeartIdiot
Summary: The last of the Angels is destined to battle the Great Darkness as it tries to rise again. But she is also entangled in a terrible prophecy. Will the last Angel be the savior of the three worlds, or it's doom? Read and find out. FULLY REVISED. See Chp 1.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN-I don't know the name for what Koenma wears so I'll call it a robe, if anyone knows please tell me. And I'm calling Hiei's cloak/cape/coat/dress a cloak. And don't kill me about what Hiei says about the US. I'll put in a bit about why he thinks that way later in the story.

REVISED AN: Okay, as you can see I reformated it and added and changed a few details. You'll be seeing alot of these R ANs. I should note that I've fixed some time details to make the story fit in the alloted time frame. I think I've noted on the chaps where I changed the time details. I know some of you have already reread but I ask you to reread again, sorry. I just had to changed the time details and some errors I caught.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

Chapter One

"So I say again...What?" a tall dark haired man asked. He was talking to a tall brown haired teen, who was standing behind a desk filled with stacks of paper.

The teen was dressed oddly, compared to the man's red jacket, white t-shirt and blue jeans. He wore a purple robe over tan slacks and a white long sleeved shirt. There were other odd things about him other than his clothes. The word 'Jr' was tatooed on his forehead and he was sucking on a pacifier.

The teen sighed in exasperation. "For the last time Yusuke. You, Kurama, and Hiei are going undercover to an American college to find and make contact with this girl," he pointed to a picture on the big screen TV hanging in the front of the room, "And bring her back to Spirit World."

Yusuke nodded, "I got that part Koenma. What I don't get is how exactly are we going to fit in. We don't, well maybe Kurama, speak English very well."

Koenma motioned to the door. In popped a blue haired woman in a pink kimono. "That's where I come in!" she said cheerily.

Yusuke looked confused. "Wait, you're coming too Botan?"

Botan shook her head, "No, It's just you, Kurama and Hiei, though I don't know how we're going to persuade Hiei to go, seeing as how he hates most humans, especially Americans, he says that they're just plain crazy, though I don't know how he came to know an American-" she babbled.

"Botan! Get to the point!" Yusuke said loudly, stopping the woman's babbling.

She gave a huff, "Oh, alright already. I'm here to introduce new high-tech top of the line Spirit Detective Items!" She pulled out a large metalic brief case from the sleeve of her kimono. As to how she could hide it in there was still a mystery to everyone. She plopped it on the desk with a thud, causing an avalanche of papers.

"Eagh! Botan! Look what you've done!" Koenma yelled as he dove to keep the remaining stacks of papers from falling. He only succeded in causing them to fall as well. Yusuke stood to the side, clutching his ribs as he laughed out loud.

After a few minutes of digging, Botan and Koenma managed to find the case of Spirit Items. Botan sat it on the ground and opened it up. Inside was a compass that looked like a watch, a compact, a ring, a stack of round stickers, and several other gadgets. Botan looked through them all until she found what she was looking for. "Ah! Here we are!" she said as she held up a small loop earring.

Yusuke bent down and held his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Hmm...I give..what is it?"

"It's the handy dandy compact Hear-Ring, it translates any foreign language for you so that you can understand whatever is told to you! And it comes in the fashionable hoop earring, the traditional stud earring, and even in the rebelious hanging skull earring!" Botan exclaimed.

Yusuke's eyebrow rose, "Yeah, well I guess that will work when I'm talked to, but I doubt that it will work when I talk to somebody..."

Botan stopped dead still, a smile still on her face. Then she laughed, "I guess it wouldn't, hehe." Yusuke and Koenma, who had been standing behind Botan, hit the floor. "But wait!" she said, as she looked through the case again. "Tada!" She pulled out a tongue ring. "The device that's all the rage. The Tongues-Ring! With this device you will be able to speak any language, and it comes with interchangeable balls, Fuzzy, Nude, and Steel!" The two men in the room just looked at her as she paused and took in what she just said. Botan's face turned red as she fumbled with the Tongues-Ring. "Uh...They also come in three different colors, Red, Black, and Blue..." She paused again, her face turning even redder. Finally the two men just burst out laughing.

Bent over, clutching his stomach, Yusuke laughed out, "I wonder what Kurama and Hiei would say if I said," he laughed some more, "I have fuzzy, black and blue balls!"

Koenma nearly spit out his pacifier. He calmed down enough to say, "Hiei would probably say, 'I have balls of steel!'"The two nearly choked.

Yusuke blurted out, "I wonder what Kurama would get!"

"Fuzzy red balls!" This time the two fell on the floor laughing and choking. Botan, the red in her face turning to purple as her humiliation turned to anger, threw the brief case at them and stormed out of the room. The brief case hit and bounced off Koenma's head right into Yusuke's face, knocking him flat. The jarred brief case flew open and spilled it's contents all over the two men.

As the two slowly stood up, one rubbing the back of his head, the other rubbing a red welt on his forehead, Koenma said, "You know, we deserved that."

Yusuke nodded, but smiled. "Yeah, but it was worth it..hehe 'fuzzy red balls'."

Laughing, then grimacing as the laugh aggravated the starting headache, Koenma gathered up the Items, and started heading towards the door. "Let's find Kurama and Hiei, and try not to make the same mistake as Botan," he grimaced again. "I don't think Kurama will find it very funny, and Hiei might not even listen and refuse to join in this mission."

Yusuke nodded, asking, "By the way, how are you going to get him to join?"

"Oh, I have 'ways'," Koenma said then coughed, "Mukuro." He coughed again.

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"So, you are telling me that I have to get peircings for this mission?" a tall red haired man asked Yusuke an hour later. The man, Yusuke, and Koenma were sitting on the front porch of a shrine.

"Yeah, Kurama," Yusuke said, smiling as he tugged on Kurama's sleeve. "A tongue ring and earring will go well with this outfit. Hehe."

Kurama brushed off Yusuke's hand as he straightened the long sleeved dress shirt. He stood up and brushed the dirt off of his tan slacks. "Well, maybe it won't be so noticable if I get a small stud and a nude tongue ring. And please Yusuke, no crude comments on the 'nude' part. I have enough of those in the classroom, and I don't need it from you."

Yusuke looked closely at his friend. The green eyes looked very tired. "Yo Kurama, are you alright? You don't look so good."

Kurama gave a wane smile. "It's finals week. If I don't look so good, imagine what the students look like." Yusuke nodded, as if he understood the plight college students were in when it was finals week.

"Hey! Don't nod and look like you know what finals week is like!" a voice called from inside the shrine. Out walked another tall red haired man. This one was dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. "You never went to college, Urameshi. If you really want to know what its like you should enrole in a college."

"Aw, don't start on me about that Kuwabara. I have no intention of going back," Yusuke replied.

"Fine, its not like I have any hope of getting through to you on that subject. Even Keiko couldn't convince you to go back." Yusuke shot Kuwabara a dirty look. Kuwabara, sensing that he had tread on ground he shouldn't have, quickly changed the subject. "So, you and Kurama are going on a mission, eh."

"Yes, and Hiei too," Kurama said. "Or Koenma is going to try to get him to join on this mission. I think he'll be even less thrilled than I about the peircings."

Yusuke jumped up as a thought came to him. "Wait a sec! I have to get peirced!"

"Yeah, that's what we've been talking about for the past ten minutes," Koenma snapped.

Yusuke slapped his forehead. "Aw man, I wasn't really thinking about it. It just hit me."

Kuwabara ignored Yusuke's outburst and turned to Koenma. "So what's this mission about and what are the peircings for. I only heard Kurama talking about finals week."

"Well...most of it's classified, but I can tell you where they're going and what the peircings are for. They're going to an American college, that's all I can say about that. And the peircings are for the Hear-Ring, which allows you to understand any language, and the Tongues-Ring, which allows you to speak any language," Koenma said.

It took a moment for it to hit him, then Kuwabara laughed at Yusuke. "Haha! Man, I can't beleive it! You're actually going to college!"

"Not by choice!" Yusuke said irritatedly.

Kuwabara laughed even more as another thought hit him. "Even the shrimp has to go to college. Will they even allow him, he's so short he looks like a junior high student!"

Kurama grimaced. "Yes, that will be another major factor that might make Hiei refuse to come with us."

"By the way," Yusuke said, "Where is Short Stack?"

"Demon World," Kurama replied.

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A few days later a short dark haired man dressed in a black cloak with a white scarf strode into Koenma's office where Koenma, Yusuke, and Kurama were going through folders of information about the mission.

"Hey Hiei! How's life? Didya get married yet?" Yusuke joked.

Hiei's red eyes glared at him. "I'm not here by choice. Mukuro ordered me to come and join some mission." His glare turned into a suspicious look. "She also said that I had better do what you say, despite what I might think about it. What are you planning?"

Kurama handed him a folder of papers, "Everything about the mission is in there."

Hiei scanned through the documents. He glared at the other three. "And you need me to go to that crazy country because..." he looked back down at the papers, "Surely Yusuke and Kurama can handle one girl."

Koenma shook his head, picked up a remote and turned the TV on. "It's not the girl I'm worried about. It's these things." On the screen were a group of shadow like beings, the only distinct feature about them were their glowing red eyes and claw like hands. "We call them shadow creatures. We're not really sure what they are, but I don't think they are exactly demons." He gave each man a serious look. "They're strong. They took out a squad of the SDF."

The guys eyes hardened as the implication of that statement sunk in. _-The SDF are pretty powerful. So how powerful are these shadow creatures if they can take out a whole squad?-_ Yusuke thought.

"Hn," Hiei smirked. "I've been looking for a good fight for awhile now. I'm in. Just one thing, explain to me about these interchangeable balls."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

Chapter Two

"So what classes do you got?" a tall blonde girl asked a short dark haired girl. They were on a couch in the local college hangout, which was actually a basement with two rooms, one a playing room with two pool tables, a fooze ball table, a DDR machine, and a ping pong table, the other a lounge room with three couches surrounding a big screen TV, and a sound system in the back.

"Hm," the dark haired girl said as she rumaged in her large backpack. She pulled out a folded peice of paper. "Let's see...Biology from 9:00 am to 11: 45 am Monday, Wednesday with Prof. Davidson, Painting II from 1:00 pm to 3:45 pm Monday, Wednesday with Prof. Bently, College Algebra from 8:00 am to 9:15 am Tuesday, Thursday with Prof. Ross, and Japanese I from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm Tuesday, Thursday with Prof..Ya..ya..Oh hell I can't pronounce it," she shrugged. "How 'bout you Candy?"

"Oh I'm not taking classes this semester," Candy said as she reached over and took the schedule and looked over it.

"Hey! Angela, isn't this Davidson the new teacher all the girls have been talking about!" She looked up, beaming. "I saw him the other day, and WOW! I'm so jealous. Talk about a reason to wake up in the morning!" She looked at her friend. "Is this why you dressed that way this morning?" She took in her friend's black spagetti strap shirt, the short green plaid skirt with the studded black belt, black leather boots, the white leather cuff on her right wrist, the black bead braclet on her left wrist, and the adjustable necklace with the moonstone pendant, at the moment it was in the choker version. "Not to mention the make up, you hardly wear it." Angela's make up,expertly done so that it didn't distract, was done to brighten her already brilliant green eyes and to bring out the rosy color of her cheeks.

Angela blushed. In turn she eyed her friend's black dress with the low cut neckline. "And what about you? You're actually wearing a dress. And you're here when you could be home snoozing as usual." Angela smirked. "Who are you trying to impress?"

Before her friend could stumble out an excuse, in walked a tall dark haired man in a dark green blazer and blue jeans. Candy bent towards Angela and whispered "Hunk at," she looked at her watch, "8:53 am."

"8:53! I'm gonna be late!" Angela gathered her things, checked her schedule and hurried out of the room, giving a hurried "Excuse me!" as she brushed past the man.

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As students filled the lecture room, the tall red haired teacher in a white long sleeved button up shirt and tan slacks wrote on the board.

Prof. Michael Davidson

Biology 1407

MW 9:00 -11:45

He turned around and waited for the class to settle down. "Alright, as the board says I'm Michael Davidson, I really don't mind being called Professor, Michael, Davidson or any combination of those words. I just insist on respect. Respect me and I'll respect you. I don't mind socializing, only as long as you're not disturbing or distracting others from learning. Also, if I notice that your grades aren't doing well and you happen to mostly socialize, I'll have to ask you to move away from the others. It's happened before, several times in fact." Michael rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I don't know why those boys couldn't flirt outside of class..." At this the students chuckled. "And as far as seating, just sit where you can hear me and see the screen and board." He pointed to the projector screen and the chalk board. "Okay now, everyone's favorite part, roll call." He smiled at the amount of moans, his green eyes twinkling. "It wont be that bad. I just want you to stand, and state your major and how you would like me to address you."

Roll call went smoothly, with only a few bumps, one of them being when he got to Angela. "...Kevin Philips..."

A tall boy in the back stood and said, "Here, you can call me Kev, and my major is micro biology."

"That means you've got a few more classes dealing with biology, you may even have me as a teacher again."

"Maybe," Kevin shrugged and sat back down.

Michael looked down at his roll sheet. "Okay, next victim. Angela Ross..."

Angela gritted her teeth _-Might as well get it over with.-_ She stood, ignoring the catcalls, "Present, you can call me Angela and my major is graphic design."

Michael smiled apologeticaly at her. "Sorry, Angela." This time he directed his speech to the entire class, "I guess I forgot to mention another rule, I also ask you to be respectful to your fellow classmates, so no catcalls." The class quieted down again. "Now, lets move on..."

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As the class ended and the students filed out of the lecture room, Michael stalled Angela. "Angela," he said as she passed by his desk. She turned to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen."

She shook her head. "No, you didn't do anything to cause them to make catcalls." She smiled, eyes sparkling, "I should have known better than to wear this outfit, but I like to make an impression." She laughed. "Besides, I'm proud to be different and wear what I want to."

Michael just stood there for a second, then he laughed. "You know I have a friend that's sort of a rebel himself, you two would probably get along."

Something caught Angela's eye. She smiled, "You seem to be a rebel yourself. Is that a tongue ring I see?"

Michael gave a shrug and a sheepish grin, "A reminder of my wild days in college."

"Ahh. Well seeya Wednesday," she said while walking towards the door.

"See you."

Angela smiled to herself. _-Now I know why all the girls are practicaly fawning over him.-_ She smiled again, remembering Candy's reaction to him. _-She's gonna kill me when she learns that I was talking to him after class.-_ She thought back to the conversation with him. _-I wonder if he realizes I was flirting with him?-_ she thought as she headed towards the hangout.

As she walked down the stairs, she heared the distinct sound of the DDR. She called through the stairwell before she reached the bottom, "Is that who I think it is?"

The reply, from a male voice, was "Who else could it be?"

She smiled as she jumped over the rail the last few feet. She landed with a thud in front of the doorway to the 'playroom'. A group of boys and a few girls were standing around the DDR machine, watching a tall dark haired guy break it down on the machine. Angela navigated her way to the front, where she took a spot beside Candy, who was watching the guy so intently that she didn't notice Angela. "So what level is Alex on?" she asked, spooking Candy.

"Oh, hi. What other level...expert."

Angela smirked. _-She's so transparent.-_ "Hey! Alex!" she yelled, knowing that if she didn't interrupt him, they'd be here forever. Alex tripped. As he regained his balance, he looked around. "Oh, hi Angela, Candy." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh SHIT!" He jumped off the machine and ran for his backpack. "Seeya girls, I'm late! My ass is sooo toast!"

Angela laughed at the dissappointed look on her friend's face. "So that's who you're trying to impress."

"Shhh!"

She laughed as they headed to the lounge area. When they walked in Angela noticed the man from this morning, he was laying on the couch, watching MTV2.

Candy noticed her look. "Oh yeah! You two didn't exactly 'meet'." She walked over to the man, "Hey Jason," she called.

He sat up, it turned out that he had been sleeping. "Yeah?" he said as he rubbed his eyes.

Candy pulled Angela over to the couch. "This is Angela, you know, the one that rushed past you this morning...Whaddya call her, 'that cute girl' right?"

Jason didn't even blush, but Angela did. "Uh, don't mind her, she's a bit nosy and rude," Angela said as she glared at her blonde friend.

Jason put his hand behind his head, "Nah, it doesn't bother me." He stretched his hand out to her, "Hi."

She shook his hand. "Hi." Then she turned to Candy. "Now we've been introduced." Candy smiled. Angela rolled her eyes. She looked at Jason, who had a mistified look on his face. "It's an inside joke," she explained. "When we were freshmen here, she insisted that we introduce ourselves by shaking hands and stating our names."

"That doesn't seem too odd..." he said, slightly confused.

"It is when she insisted we say 'hi' and shake hands even after we had already met and exchanged names."

**Beep Beep**

Jason looked at his watch. "Well, time for Freshmen Comp," he looked at the girls and smiled. "Well, seeya tomorrow." He grimaced. "That is if I make it through Algebra. Man it sucks to have Algebra at 8:00 in the morning."

"Yeah, who's your profesor?" Angela asked.

"Ross."

"We share that class together." She smiled, "Don't worry, she isn't that bad. She's my aunt."

"Ah..Well Seeya."

"Seeya," the girls said in unison.

After he closed the door, Candy squealed, "He's sooo cute!"

Angela smirked. "But not as cute as Alex eh?"

Candy blushed. She decided to change the subject. "Did you see his tongue ring, it was the plastic spikey ones."

Angela nodded. "Yeah, black and blue."

They sat on the couch and Candy leaned over, whispering "You know, I heard from this girl that the spikey ones are amazing when-"

At that moment three of their friends walked in. Angela, fearing what Candy was about to say, said loudly. "Are you serious! Are you getting tickets to the Powerman 5000 concert!"

Candy, taking her lead, replied "I'm not sure yet. I'll have to clear my schedule."

One of the guys walked over. "Are they really coming here? When?"

"In a month," Angela replied, glad that she had just heard the info on the radio.

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After Painting, Angela got a ride home from Candy. In the car she told Candy about what happened in Biology and about the conversation she had had with Michael. "No fuckin' way. He actually has a tongue ring!" Candy gasped.

"Yeah," Angela nodded. "It's the nude kind that are meant to blend in with your tongue so you can't see it unless you're face to face, and even then you have to be looking closely."

Candy smirked. "Ah...Meaning you were 'looking closely'."

Angela blushed. "He also has a small earring."

"I noticed the earring when I saw him. Man," Candy sighed, "I wish I had been you this morning."

Angela smiled. "If you had been me, you wouldn't have been able to talk to him."

Candy made a face, "Haha...I can't believe they'd allow a man with a tongue ring teach."

"He said it was a reminder of his wild days in college. I wonder how old he is, he doesn't seem that old."

"He's 29," was a quick reply from Candy.

Angela stared at her friend. "And how do you know that?"

"I heard it from some girl that was babbling about him."

"Hm, you and your nosyness."

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The next day Angela met Jason outside of the classroom. "Hey, what happened to the skirt?" he asked, looking at her black leather pants, and neon green tank top.

"In the dirty laundry, where else?" she replied. "Where's the blazer?" she asked, noting his black wife-beater and ripped blue jeans.

He smiled. "In the dirty laundry, where else?"

She chuckled at his comeback. "Always effective to use one's own words against them."

"Hey if it works it works." They walked into the classroom and took a table in the back. "So we're gonna be playmates eh?" Jason leered, brown eyes twinkling mischeviousely.

Angela leered back, her own eyes sparking mischeviousely. "Sure, as long as you show me-"

"Well, Angela, I'm mighty pleased that you would grace your old auntie with the honor of tormenting, I mean, teaching you," a woman in a plum dress said smiling as she entered the classroom holding a large binder filled with papers. "Now class settle down. We've got a lot to do in a short amount of time." She sat her things on the front table. "Now, you all know the routine. When I do roll call stand when I call your name, answer 'here' or 'present' and give me your major." She just ignored the moans.

The class didn't exactly drag, but to Jason and Angela it was still too long. _-And as Jason put it, 8:00 in the morning is just too early for Algebra.-_ Despite the boring lecture about the sylabus and other rules that Mrs. Ross forgot to put in there, the hour and fifteen minutes wasn't entirely boring. She learned alot about Jason. He was 28, had dropped out of school at the age of fifteen, and at the age of nineteen he got a GED, though, as he said, he only did it to please his wife, who at the time was his fiancee, he had had no intention of going to college at the time, now however he was doing it because it had been her dying wish. Angela had decided that now wasn't a good idea to ask him anymore about his wife. After a few minutes of silence though, he perked back up. They then proceeded to write dirty jokes on a peice of paper, since they had been reprimanded about talking too much, and pass it back and forth.

Jason yawned as they walked out of the classroom. "You going to the hangout?" he asked.

Angela shook her head. "Nah, I have a lunch date with Candy and Alex."

"Ahh. Oh well," he yawned again. "I'll be in there sleepin'. I guess I'll seeya there tomorrow ?"

"Yeah, seeya."

As he walked away he threw a comment over his shoulder. "By the way, you look hot in those pants." Angela blushed as she rushed to meet Candy.

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"Candy! I'm gonna kill you! I'm late now because of you!" she griped at her friend as she grabbed her backpack out of the back seat.

Candy shrugged. "Sorry, how'd I know there'd be traffic."

"You should expect it by now! There's always traffic at lunch and at least one wreck!" Angel retorted as she slammed the door and ran across campus.

"You're welcome!" Candy yelled after her through the open window.

"Yeah yeah! Thank you!" Angela yelled back.

She missed the first ten minutes, just the amount of time it took for the instructor to teach the class how to pronounce his name and take roll. She stumbled into the room and was greeted by stares from the whole class, particularly a very cold stare from the professor. "Uh, sorry I'm late," she said sheepishly.

"Find a seat, we're going over the sylabus. What's your name?" he said stiffly taking out the roll sheet from the back of the papers in his hand.

"Angela Ross," she said as she found an empty desk by a dark haired boy with a skull earring. She had looked rebelious yesterday but this boy out did her. He wore black baggy pants that were tucked into black army boots, a black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off tucked into the pants, a long black arm sock that reached from his knuckles to the bicep of his right arm, a black leather cuff on his left wrist and he had a black bandana around his forehead. The only color he had wasn't in clothes but in his red eyes and the white tips in his bangs that burst out like the outline of a cartoon explosion.

He smirked as she sat down. "You know, you could have made more of an impressive entrance if you had worn that green skirt and black spagetti strap shirt today instead of yesterday."

Angela stared at him,"How do you know what I wore yesterday?" _-I'm sure I hadn't seen him yesterday. That hair is hard to miss.-_

He smirked some more. "We have a friend in common." As she continued to stare he went on. "Jason."

"Ah.."

"He told me about this 'hot' girl in black leather pants and a neon green shirt at lunch."

"Hm, he said that did he? So what do you think?" she asked, sitting sideways in the desk, crossing her legs.

"Hn," was all that he said.

She started to ask him again when the teacher said "Ms. Ross, if you had been listening you would have heard me say that there is no talking in class while the instructor is teaching." She sat forward in her seat, chastised.

After class, when they were standing up, she found that the guy was about an inch shorter than her. _-But as they say 'size doesn't matter'. And he's really cute.-_ "So, what's your name?"

He looked at her as he gathered his things. "Randy."

"Well Randy, I'm Angela." She said as she stuck out her hand. He just stared at it. She pulled her hand back, thinking _-Ookay, not into hand shakes I guess.- _"Well I guess I'll seeya around then."

"Hn."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN- The soundtrack to this chapter is any Powerman 5000 cd. Have you figured out who's who?

WARNING: There's alcohole and cigarettes in this chapter. You're warned.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

Chapter Three

The next two weeks went by without a repeat of the second day of school. Angela hardly had any trouble with her classes besides her foreign language class, she still didn't know how to pronounce the teacher's name, and despite how hard she tried, she couldn't get Randy to help her, even though he was practicaly head of the class because he was so fluent in japanese. "Please Randy?" she begged as she watched him and Jason play pool.

**Clunk**

"Damn! There went the eight ball again!" Jason cussed.

"Hn. The nine ball will be the eight ball," Randy said. He lined up his shot, his steel ball tongue ring between his teeth.

**Clunk**

"Come on Randy, please just tutor me, I'll even pay you!" she continued.

"Hn," was his only, and usual, reply.

Jason chuckled. "I think what he want's you won't want to give."

"What?" was Angela's reply.

Jason just stared at her as Randy sunk another ball. "Is your hair really black?"

"No, it's ash blonde. Why?"

"That explains it."

"Explains what? Oh forget it." She turned back to Randy, who had sunk his last ball and was now setting up his shot to sink the 'eight' ball. "Please Randy? Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?" Jason suddenly choked. Angela looked over at him to find his face turning red as he tried to keep from laughing out loud. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he managed to choke out.

**Clunk**

Randy stood up. "That makes three out of five." Jason opened his mouth to say something. Randy stopped him. "I think being beaten three times in a row is enough to show that you hardly have a chance against me, Jason."

**Thud**

The three looked towards the stairwell, there was Candy standing up where she had fallen after trying to mimic Angela's trademark jump over the railing. Angela rolled her eyes. "Candy why don't you give up? You can't do it."

Candy just ignored her as she bounced into the room. "Guess what?" she nearly squealed.

"I give. What?" Angela said.

"I just won two tickets to the concert!" This time she did squeal.

Angela joined her. "Holy-" She grasped her friend's arms. "Are you serious?"

"Yup!"

"Who are you taking?"

"Who else? You!"

"WHAT? Oh YES!" The two girls started jumping up and down while the boys just stood there.

"Uh...What concert?" Jason asked.

"Powerman 5000!" the girls almost yelled at him.

After a few minutes, the girls calmed down enough to talk normally. "Wow! What are you going to wear?" Candy asked Angela.

"Oh the spagetti strap and the leather pants. I also think I'll throw on the fishnet longsleeved shirt. You?"

"I was thinking of borrowing your Jincos and the neon green shirt. Please?"

"Hey! You're taking me to the concert, you can borrow whatever you want." Angela said. Just then something hit her. She turned to the guys. "Hey, why don't you guys come along? The tickets don't cost much. And I'm sure we could pick you up, we can fit you two and Alex in the back seat of Candy's camero." She looked at Candy, "Wait. Why aren't you taking Alex on the other ticket? It's a perfect opportunity."

"He ain't going," was the quick, if slightly depressed, reply.

"So I was second on your list, eh? I see, I see," Angela joked. She turned back to the boys. "So whaddya say."

Jason shrugged. "I guess, but can we bring along another friend."

"Sure," Candy said. "Where do you want to be picked up at?"

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A week later, a purple camero pulled up in front of an apartment building. Angela got out of the car,  
"Stay here," she told Candy. She walked to the stairs leading up to the second floor. "203," she said to herself as she looked at a peice of paper in her hands. "I wonder why they don't have a dorm room." She found the apartment and knocked on the door.

"Coming!" yelled Jason. In a second he opened the door. "Wow! Are you developing the same fashion sense as Randy?" he asked as he looked her over. "Though you do look hot in black."

"Hm. And you need to expand your sense of fashion taste. Always t-shirts and blue jeans," she replied.

He raised his hands. "Hey, this is a 'wife-beater' as you call them. By the way, why do you call them that?"

"I asked a friend that, and she said it's because in shows where a man is beating his wife, he usually wears one, though it's usually white," she explained.

"And what if a girl wears one?"

"I call them 'tank tops' though most tank tops have wider shoulders." She looked into the apartment, then she looked at Jason. "Well...are you going to invite me in?"

"Oh, yeah." He stepped aside and bowed her through the door. "Welcome to our humble abode," he joked.

"So...where's Randy, and who's your other friend" she asked.

"Hn, I'm right here," Randy answered, walking into the living room. He was wearing the same outfit that Angela had first seen him in.

"Is that Angela I hear," a familiar voice said, coming down the hall.

"You're joking!" She gaped at the man that walked into the living room. It was Michael Davidson. "You look so different!" Instead of wearing his normal white button up shirt and slacks, he was wearing tight black pants and a button up short sleeved dark blue shirt, that was left unbuttoned showing a white under shirt. "I didn't know you lived with these two," she said after inspecting him. _-Candy is going to have a heart attack!-_

"Yes, well...They're like family. We've been friends for 14 years now. When I got the job here, these two decided to tag along."

"Ah..Well if you all are ready to go, lets go. Candy is in the car eager to get to the concert early so we might have a chance to get close to the first row," Angela said as she turned to the door.

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Candy didn't notice them when they walked up to the car. She was blasting and singing to 'Nobody's Real' by Powerman 5000. Angela had to knock loudly on the driver's side window to get Candy to unlock the doors. Sure enough, Candy did a double take at the guys other friend. As they climbed into the back seat, Candy couldn't take her eyes off of Michael.

Angela laughed, "Candy, close your mouth, you're drooling," she teased.

Candy snapped back to reality. "Uh, hi. I'm Candy." She stuck out her hand towards Michael.

He shook it. "Hi, I'm Michael."

She turned around, as if in a daze. "Candy, you have to start driving if we want to make it to the concert early," Angela prompted.

"Uh yeah," was the dazed response

On the way to the concert, Angela realized that Michael was a normal 29 yr old. Just because he was a college teacher didn't make him any different from her. She learned that he hadn't started college until 22. He had been living with his parents after high school, helping his dad in the family business. At 24 he recieved his bachelors in biology, and proceeded to earn his teaching degree. He then became a biology teacher for various colleges. "And this summer I started teaching here" he said.

"Cool," Angela said. "I've heard your's and Jason's stories. Now all I need to hear is Randy's."

"Hn."

"I guess that means I won't get it out of you very easily." She smiled.

"Well, that'll have to wait. We're here!" Candy said as she turned into the parking lot of the concert stadium. "Damn! We didn't get here early enough! Look at that line!"

"Uhg..."Angela sighed. "My feet are going to be sore before we even get inside."

Candy looked at her friend. "Regretting wearing those boots now?"

"Hell no! They're great for moshing."

Jason turned to Michael. "Moshing?" he whispered.

Michael shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't know. I've never been to a rock concert," he whispered back.

"Hn," Randy put in.

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"Finally! I never thought we'd make it in," Angela exclaimed, as they walked into a crowded ampitheater.

Candy turned sharply to the right and squinted her eyes. "Hey! There's Arron! C'mon! Lets go say hi!" Candy started to drag Angela.

Angela shook her hand off. "You go. You know how I feel about him. He's rude and obnoxious."

"Fine! I'll go by myself," Candy snapped as she stormed off.

"Wow...is it me or did it suddenly get very cold in here," Jason said as he watched Candy go hang out with Arron, a tall blonde boy in skater clothes. "I take it you and him aren't on friendly terms?"

"No where near! Though we used to be," she snapped heading in the opposite direction.

The guys hurried to catch up with her. "What happened?" Michael asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," she huffed.

"Hey! Is that a beer stand over there?" Jason asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," Angela replied. "They also sell water and cokes. But if we're going to want any we better get in line now. Elsewise it takes nearly thirty minutes to get anything once the concert starts."

"C'mon Randy, lets get something," Jason said starting to drag Randy towards the beverage stand. "What do you two want?" Jason asked.

"Water please," Michael replied.

"Nothing," Angela said.

"Okay. Wait here," Jason said as he proceeded to drag Randy.

As the two men walked towards the beverage stand, Jason whispered to Randy. "Do you feel that?"

"Hn. Yes."

"Do you think it's those so called shadow creatures?"

"Most likely."

"One of us should always be with her at all times tonight."

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The guys came back with the water and two plastic cups filled with beer. Candy was still off somewhere with Arron, and Angela was itching to get into the crowd near the stage and get as close to the front before the concert started. "Alright! Now we can get our places! C'mon." She started to lead the guys into the crowd. She proved to be quite experienced in navigating through the crowd. She had been planning on getting close to the stage, but a hand on her shoulder stalled her.

She turned around to find a group of teens and some of the college students that had been hanging around the DDR maching the first day of school. "Hey Angela! Where's Candy?" one of the girls asked.

"With Arron."

"Ah..Well, why don't you hang with us," one of the boys offered. He grinned. "You know that we make the best mosh pits."

"Sure, why not," she replied, smiling in return.

At that moment, the concert started. Jason, Michael, and Randy found themselves all of a sudden pushed forward as the crowd surged towards the stage. It surprised them, but apparently it was normal, since no one in their group seemed surprised. "Oh hell yeah!" Angela shouted above the music. "'When Worlds Colide'!"

One of the girls got close to Angela and shoved her. Michael, Jason and Randy tensed, thinking that she was starting a fight, but Angela smiled and shoved her back. In an instant the group was shoving and bashing into each other. The guys stood there, confused. Angela came up to Jason and shoved him into the mosh pit. "C'mon!" she yelled over the music.

_"This is what it's like when worlds colide!"_

**_-Be careful, go lightly!-_** Randy's voice said inside of Jason's head.

**_-No shit!-_** was the smart aleck reply.

_"Are you ready to go 'cuz I'm ready to go! What you gonna do? Baby, baby!"_

Angela jumped into Jason. Jason lightly shoved a boy with a lot of hair. A girl bashed into Randy, pulling him into the mosh pit. Michael was left holding the two beers, while the water bottle was shoved into his shirt pocket. He almost spilled the drinks when Angela was shoved out of the pit. The mosh pit got really big and lasted the whole song.

When it ended the pit disolved. "Whew! That was awesome," Jason said.

Randy didn't say anything, he just took back his drink from Michael. The next song started. Angela looked through the crowd. "I bet Candy is very happy. It's her favorite song. 'Nobody's Real'." She then started to move her body to the song. She noticed Randy's stare. "You have to learn to dance in place when at concerts," she explained. Then she started to sing along.

A few songs later and after three mosh pits, one in which Randy and Michael switched places, Angela disappeared into the crowd. The guys thought she had joined the mosh pit a few rows up, so they headed in that direction. When they got there, they found that she wasn't there.

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"Ugh...Finally, some fresh air," Angela said as she walked out onto the smoker's porch. She took out a pack of cigarettes and her lighter. "Well, so much for fresh air," she joked, as she lit her cigarette. She looked around. _-Odd. Usually there's always at least two or three people on the porch and two security guards.-_ As she was sitting down, her ticket fell out of her pocket and was blown a few feet away by the wind. "Damn! I need that to get back in," she said as she ran for it. Just as she got close, the ticket was blown a few more feet away. Soon she was out in the middle of the field behind the stadium.

"Finally!" she said as she caught the ticket. She stood up, and looked around. The stadium was far away. It was pitch black out and the only light came from the feeble glow of the porch lights. She heard a rustle in the bush behind her. She whirled around, thinking about the possibilities of a rapist. She jumped back as something lunged towards her. Angela squeezed her eyes instinctively expecting to be hit or something, however the thing jumped past her. Angela turned around and found that it was a rabbit. "Oh! Don't scare me like that!" she huffed at the rabbit, clutching her chest.

She started to walk back towards the stadium, the rabbit hopping to one side of her, obviousely not afraid of her. Suddenly a cold breeze blew around them. The rabbit froze, then belted away, running as fast as it could towards the light. Angela felt goosebumps on the back of her neck._ -Something's here!-_ She heard raspy, gurgling breathing all around her. She turned and turned but couldn't find the source.

Finally she decided to follow the rabbit's lead and started to run towards the stadium. When she saw Jason run out of the stadium, followed by Randy and Michael, she nearly cried to them but she was out of breath. She had to stop to catch her breath. She nearly laughed when she realized she couldn't hear that scary breathing. _-It was just my imagi!-_ Searing pain ripped through her back. Time stood still. She saw the guys running towards her, felt something warm and wet run down her back, saw a shadowy figure rise up before her, saw the clawed hand start to swing at her, then everything went black.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN-In the beginning of this chapter, it's not actual thoughts like _-Man he's cute!-_ The thoughts are more disconnected so they won't be in _-Thought- _pattern.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

Chapter Four

She was floating in a dark space. What happened? _/The porch lights of the stadium. Running./_ Running? What was I running from? _/Raspy gurgling breaths./_ What? Who was breathing? _/Shadow rising from the ground. Claws raised./ _What happened? _/Searing pain. Back. Chest. The guys shouting./ _Am I dead?

Wait. What's that sound? Muffled voices. "Is she going to be alright?" A muffled reply. The voices fade. She fades back into the comforting darkness.

A cool feeling on her forehead. More voices, slightly clearer. "The wounds are healing nicely. In fact she should be awake by now, I don't know what's causing her to stay unconcious."

"She has to want to wake up first."

"If I was her I wouldn't want to wake up. Not with what all's happened." Wake up? Do I want to wake up? No. It's nice here. No pain, no troubles. She fades back into the darkness.

Movement in her hand. Someone is holding her hand. A familiar voice. "Come on, Angela. Wake up. Please?" Who is that? Nevermind. She fades again.

A slight throbbing pain. Her back and chest. Warm hands holding her own. Hunger, thirst. A light is on somewhere. Another familiar voice. "You're almost there, Angela. Just a little further." A little further? To where? "Come on. You can wake up." Do I want to wake up?...Yes.

She opened her eyes. She was in a strange bed in a strange room. Sitting next to her holding her hand was Michael. "See you could do it," he said softly.

"Where am I?" she croaked. Her throat was very dry. Michael handed her a glass of water that had been sitting on a small bedside table.

"You're in our apartment. Don't take big drinks, take it easy," he advised.

She took a few sips. "What happened?"

"You were attacked."

"By what?"

"First lets get you out of bed, change your bandages and get some food in you," he said, taking the empty glass away. As she got out of bed she realized she had on only a long sleeved shirt and panties. She quickly threw the covers back on.

"Here, let me get you a pair of Hiei's pants," he said without her having to ask.

"Who's Hiei?"

"That's one of the things we need to talk about."

A few minutes later, Michael helped Angela down the hall to the bathroom. Her chest and back were slightly throbbing with pain. After fully remembering being attacked, she didn't want to look at what was under the bandages, but she didn't have much choice since Michael was about to change her bandages. She felt a little embarrased and didn't like the thought of him seeing her breasts, but she really didn't have a choice. When she pulled off the shirt, she found that the bandages wrapped around her breasts, most of her stomach, and over her left shoulder. She averted her eyes as Michael started to undo the bandages.

He saw her and his eyes softened. "Don't worry, it isn't that bad. The gashes have been healing nicely, in a few days there won't even be scars."

She looked down at her chest as the last of the bandages came off. It was true, the four gashes, reaching from below the middle of her breasts to just above her right hip, were already closing. _-How can they? They look big and deep enough to have needed stitches to close.-_ Michael handed her a bowl filled with a green paste. "It's a paste of a healing plant. Rub it on the wounds." He then proceeded to rub some on her back. From the way he was rubbing, she could tell that there were four gashes going from her right shoulder to the middle of her back. After they had rubbed the paste on the wounds, Michael bound the wounds up in fresh bandages. "Now, let's go into the kitchen, get you some food and then we'll talk," he said as she put on the shirt.

Jason was in the kitchen making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He was surprised to find Angela and Michael in his way as he was coming out of the kitchen. "Hey Angela, are you feeling better?" he asked, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, a little. Right now I'm told I have to get something to eat before ya'll tell me what's going on."

"Ah. Well here," he said, handing her the sandwich. "I can make another. Sorry but we're out of everything else."

"Now that I have food, can you please start explaining what has happened?" she asked Michael.

He sighed. "Yes. Let's go sit in the living room."

Randy was sitting in the living room laying on the couch, watching the tv. When he saw Angela and Michael come in he turned the tv off and sat up on the couch and scooted to the end to give some room. Angela sat next to him and Michael sat on her other side.

"Where do I start?" Michael asked.

"How about what the hell happened last night?" she snapped, tired of all this stalling.

"Hn. It's been three nights since you were attacked," Randy said.

"Whatever! And I've had it with your 'hn's Randy!"

"Randy isn't my real name. It's Hiei." She looked confusedly at Randy, Hiei.

"Yes, how about I start with the fact that we aren't who you think we are," Michael said. "My name is Kurama."

"And I'm Yusuke," Jason said, sitting in an armchair to the side of the couch.

"So you're saying that everything you told me about yourselves is a lie?" she asked, hurt at what seemed like a betrayal.

"No, only the reason why we're here and our names," Kurama reasured her.

"Then why are you here?"

"To protect you."

"Huh?" She felt a dull throbbing in her chest. "I'd say you failed."

Hiei stood up, "Hn! You're alive aren't you! Those shadow creatures were intent on killing you!" He stormed down the hall.

"You must forgive him, and us," Kurama apologized. "We blame ourselves for not keeping a better eye on you."

Angela shook her head. "I guess I didn't make it easier on you. I'm sorry for having said that. But what are these 'shadow creatures'? And why are you here to protect me?"

"Let's start by explaining a few things to you..." Kurama started.

"...So you're telling me that demons and ghosts exist and that there are three worlds. The Living World, which is where we are, the Spirit World, where, you said, dead souls go and is ruled by a god called King Yama and his son Koenma, and the Demon World?" she asked an hour later.

Kurama nodded. "Yes. And we are called Spirit Detectives. We work for the Spirit World, investigating and intervening when demonic trouble arises or any odd paranormal activity happens."

"Like these shadow creatures? By the way what are they?"

"We don't know. Koenma suspects they may be something other than demons."

Angela sat there quietly for a few minutes, taking in what she just heard. "Okay...But why were you sent here to protect me?"

"Well..." Yusuke started, rubbing the back of his head. "You're the last of an ancient race."

Kurama nodded his head. "Yes, from what Koenma says, you are a desendent of a race humans would refer to as 'Angels'." Angela's eyes widened. "It's been four thousand years since the last one died."

"Wow...I knew Angela meant angel in some other language, I just never thought I was really an angel." Yusuke chuckled at that comment.

"I wonder what Candy will say to this when I tell her." She caught the look that passed between Kurama and Yusuke. "What? Can I not tell her?"

"It's not that..." Yusuke mumbled.

Kurama continued for him. "You see...for some reason that we can't guess at for the moment, the shadow creatures created a dopple ganger of you that has taken your place..." Kurama paused. "You can't go back to your old life."

It took a moment for that to sink in. Angela looked at Kurama, tears starting to appear in her eyes. "Never?"

"I'm not sure. But I guess it's a good thing in one aspect." He raised his hands to stall anything she might say to that comment. "Wait...hear me out. We were also sent to ask you to come with us to Spirit World. We weren't sure how we would manage explaining why you were going to Japan."

"Yeah," Yusuke piped in. "At one point we were thinking of having Hiei hypnotize people into just thinking that you were gone."

Angela reacted badly to this. "You mean thinking that I was dead!"

Kurama glared at Yusuke, who backed off. "No. Not like that. At any rate, this way there won't be any questions, and maybe you might be able to regain your life," Kurama said, giving her hope. "So what do you say? Come with us?"

She thought about it for a few minutes._ -It means I might never see my family or friends again.-_ She thought about the last few words Kurama said. _-But he said there was a chance I might...Anyhow, where else can I go for now...-_ She looked at Kurama. "I guess."

Kurama smiled. "Great, we leave tomorrow."

"But how can you. Don't you have to go to school tomorrow."

"Hiei can hypnotize everyone to forget about us."

"Ohh...How exactly can he hypnotize everyone you ever came in contact here?" she asked, trying to hide a yawn.

Kurama noticed her yawn. "I'll explain tomorrow. You should get some rest, you're stilll recovering."

"Fine," she said behind another yawn.

She walked down the hall to the room where she had come out of earlier. However, inside was Hiei. "Uh..Sorry." She started to leave.

Hiei stopped her. "Hn, you can have the room. I usually sleep on the balcony in the living room anyways." He started to walk past her.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," she said as he passed her.

"Hn," was his only reply.

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Hiei looked out on the city, sitting on the railing of the balcony, the multiple lights reflecting in his red eyes. Kurama walked up and stood beside him leaning on the railing by Hiei's feet. They stayed like that for several minutes, not talking.

Finally Kurama spoke up. "We did all we could. As you said, she's at least alive."

"Hn."

"How could we have known where she was going? We did the best we could."

Hiei glared at the city lights. "You're full of shit Kurama. You know we were no where near doing 'our best' in protecting her. Hn..In a small sense, she's right. We failed in fully protecting her." They fell silent again.

After a few minutes Kurama talked again. "Are you ready to wipe our existence from the minds of this city?" "Hn, done did," Hiei said coldly. Kurama turned and walked inside. Hiei went back to staring at the city lights.

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Yusuke tossed and turned in his bed, sweat forming on his head. "Nng...noo...don't..go...nng..." He shook his head from side to side. His eyes flung open and he sat up abruptly. "Keiko!" he shouted. He sat there for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts after the nightmare, breathing heavily. _-It was just a nightmare...but it felt real.-_ He rubbed his eyes. _-It's been seven years. But it still feels like it happened yesterday...Keiko..-_ He put his head in his hands and started crying.

Kurama laid in his bed in the room next to Yusuke's. He heard Yusuke shout. He looked at the clock, 3:34 am. _-He acts like he's moved on but the night tells otherwise.-_ He rolled over, thinking about the past few weeks. _-However, he's woken up shouting her name less often since he started school. Is the school work making him so exhausted that he just sleeps deeply, or is it something else?-_ Kurama remembered how Yusuke gave compliments to Angela, how he was always eager to get to Algebra, and how he was moshing with her, trying to protect her from injury without being obvious. Kurama smiled. _-Maybe he's beginning to heal at last.-_ He heard weeping from both rooms on either side of his. His smile faded, thinking of everything that had happened to Angela. _-It's going to be hard on her.-_ He fell asleep contemplating on how to help her adjust to her new life.

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"Kurama?" Angela asked the next morning as she came into the livingroom, still half asleep and wearing only the long sleeved shirt and panties. The only person in the livingroom was Hiei. He looked up, blushed and quickly looked away. "Hhe's in the middle room," Hiei said, only slightly stuttering. She saw the blush.

"Oh c'mon," she teased. "I'm sure you've seen plenty of women half naked, and probably just as many fully naked. What with your sexy self and badass attitude, you're practicaly irresistable."

She walked down the hall, leaving a red faced Hiei speechless. _-I'm what?- _He thought, stupified.

She knocked on Kurama's door, "Kurama?"

"Mmf..." came the muffled reply.

She knocked again. Sounds of movement came from inside. "Kurama?"

"Ugh...Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

"Hold a minute." There was a moment of various sounds, drawers opening, sounds of rumaging, drawers closing, sounds similar to hastily donning clothing and finally sounds of shuffling feet towards the door.

Kurama opened the door, half dressed in blue jeans and a white unbuttoned long sleeved shirt, showing his chest. _-It's hard to believe this sexy man was my teacher!-_ she thought, blushing. She saw him staring at her.

"Uh...I beleive I know what you're about to ask. I think I can manage to find something in this house to fit you," he said hurriedly as he turned around in his room, heading towards the dresser.

"Actually," Angela said, stopping him. "I was wondering if my pants were at least salvageable, cuz I'm sure my shirt was ripped to shreds."

He turned around, thinking. "...Yes, I guess they might be, the blood stains won't be that noticeable. They'll do for now."

"Good. Can I ask something else?"

"Sure."

"Can you wash my clothes, well what's left of my clothes, my pants and...Well, could you wash them while I take a shower?"

Kurama had started to slightly blush midway through her sentence. "Uh..Sure..."

"Thanks, I'll just slip them under the door."

"Sure..."

Yusuke walked out of his room, catching sight of Angela slipping into the bathroom. He whistled softly, as he walked into the living room. Hiei was back on the balcony railing. "I see you're back in your favorite clothing," he commented, indicating the black cloak, white scarf, and black pants tucked into black boots. "Hn."

The two turned their heads when they heard Kurama walk down the hall way. "Hey, Kurama. Why are you doing laundry?" Yusuke asked, indicating the small basket of clothes he was carrying. "Weren't we going to make a clean getaway? Hiei already erased everyone's memories. Technically, we aren't supposed to be here are we?"

"Hn, yes, and didn't you do laundry yesterday?" Hiei asked. "Aren't those some of my clothes? I know all of my clothes were cleaned yesterday." He came up to Kurama and dug in the basket. He soon pulled out a pair of panties. His cheeks turned red. "Uhh..." He quickly put them back in the basket under a pair of his pants.

"You'll just have to make people think that it's normal for me to be doing my laundry in the apartment laundromat," Kurama said to Hiei.

"Hn," was the reply as Kurama walked out of the apartment.

Yusuke started cracking up. "Hehe...Hiei...haha. Hiei blushing...Hahahaha. I thought I'd never live to see the day!" Yusuke snickered.

"Hn! Shut up!"

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**Knock Knock**

"Angela," Kurama said through the bathroom door.

"Yeah!" she yelled over the hair dryer, which she assumed was Kurama's.

Kurama opened the door a crack. "Here's your...things...and one of my clean shirts." The hair dryer shut off. He handed her the clothes through the crack. "And when you're dressed we need to redress your wounds."

"Ok." A few minutes later, "I'm ready."

Kurama came in, holding the small bowel of paste. As they started rubbing it on her wounds she asked a question. "Kurama, how can a plant heal wounds like these so quickly?"

"It's a plant from Demon World. Healing plants from there are quite potent."

"How did you come by a plant from there?"

"I'm from there."

She turned to face him, "What!"

"I'm a demon...Well I used to be. I was a fox demon with a penchant for stealing. 29 years ago I was hunted down and gravely injured. I escaped from Demon World into the unborn child Shuichi Minamino. So, you could say I'm part human now," he explained.

"Shuichi? I thought you were called Kurama?" she asked as he started putting fresh bandages on her.

"Shuichi is the name that ordinary humans know me by. Yoko Kurama was my demon name. Since I'm not 'Yoko', yet at the same time not exactly 'Shuichi', demons and some humans that know that I'm a demon call me Kurama."

"Woah. Didn't know that by looking at you."

"You can't always tell a demon just by the way he looks. What do you think about Hiei?" he asked, finishing with the bandages.

_-What?- _she thought. She was silent while she buttoned up the shirt. Kurama waited patiently. "Well...I think he's hot, but no matter what I do I can't get close to him."

Kurama fell over, a weird grin on his face. As he got up he coughed. "That wasn't what I was asking."

"Then what were you asking?"

"I was trying to prove a point." He paused. "Hiei is a demon."

"Ohhh." Understanding dawned in her eyes. "Is that why he can hypnotize so many people, like you said he could?"

"Yes. Ever wonder why he always wears a bandana?"

"Sorta. I just thought he was in a gang or something."

"He hides a third eye. It's called a Jagan."

"So with this 'Jagan' he is able to hypnotize alot of people at once."

"To make a long story short, yes."

A cheery voice called from somewhere. "Hellooo!" Angela tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from, but couldn't. Soon, however, the voice started to come from the living room. "Hello Yusuke!"

"Who's that?" Angela asked.

"Ah..That would be Botan," Kurama replied, leading the way out of the bathroom and into the living room.

Inside was Yusuke, Hiei, and a blue haired woman in a pink kimono carrying an oar. "Oh! And you must be Angela!" she said, bouncing towards Angela. "Hello! I'm Botan! Chief pilot of the river Styx," she said cheerily, sticking out her hand.

Angela shook it. "Pilot of the river Styx?" she asked.

"Another term for it would be the Grim Reeper," Botan joked. "I guide dead and lost souls to the afterlife."

"Well, I'm Angela, nice to meet you."

Yusuke whispered to Kurama, "How is it that Botan and Angela are able to speak to each other without a Hear-Ring or Tongues-Ring?"

"The beings of Spirit World are fluent in all languages," Kurama replied.

"Now, are you all ready to go to Spirit World?" Botan asked the group.

"Uh...Botan..." Yusuke said. "There's no way you can take all of us by yourself."

"Oh don't worry. I didn't say I was going to take all of you. I brought help." She then whistled and two females in different colored robes flew through the ceiling on oars similar to the one Botan held.

"Wow..." was all that Angela said.

"That still only makes three of you and four of us," Kurama said.

"Oh I can hold both Hiei and Angela. They're not that heavy," was Botan's reply.

"Hn."

"Oh come on Hiei! Is that all you ever say," Angela teased.

Botan looked at the group, "Is everyone ready to go? Don't worry about packing. Koenma is sending someone here to take care of all of that. He said once you're finished in Spirit World, all of your things will be back at Genkai's. I know it's Kuwabara's and Yukina's now but I still think of it as Genkai's..." She babbled on, as she sat on her oar.

As Angela and Hiei started to get on the oar, Angela whispered to Hiei, "Is she always like this?"

"Hn, yes. But then again who are you to be talking, I've spent many days listening to you babble."

"Hmpf!"


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN- There's one part where you should probably listen to "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam to set the mood.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

Chapter Five

Standing in front of huge double doors, Angela was in awe of the huge castle. Images of millions of servants, maids, cooks and the likes usually found in castles came to her mind. "Wow...My images of heaven included fluffy clouds and gold gates. I never thought it would look like this," she breathed.

Botan stood in front of the door and a few feet in front of them. "Botan, Ayame and Hinageshi with Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei and Angela," she called loudly.

A voice from somewhere, "Enter." The doors opened. Inside was a long corridor and at the end were another set of large doors. As those doors opened, a sight that Angela would never have expected greeted her. All around were desks, partitions, stacks of papers and weird looking beings in different colors running around.

"What...?" she asked, confused.

"Not what you expected was it," Yusuke said, it was more of a statement than a question. Botan started leading them through the hubbub.

"No...What are those people?" Angela asked, eyeing one of the creatures in a polka dotted loin cloth.

"Ogres," he replied, amuzed by her response to Koenma's lackeys.

"Are they demons?"

"Actually, I don't know. I never asked." Yusuke was rubbing the back of his head, a sign that Angela had identified as the I-feel-stupid gesture. He changed the subject. "We're here." Botan had lead them to another set of doors, though not as big as the first two. "I wonder what you expect the 'Prince of Spirit World' to look like?"

Angela had been thinking he would be tall, blonde and handsome, now however, from Yusuke's remark, she started to expect that he wasn't anywhere near what she expected. _-Possible old and ugly. Kurama did say something about him being near 900 yrs old.-_

Botan opened the doors. "Koenma, we're here," she said.

Angela's mouth dropped. Inside was a toddler sucking on a pacifier as he did paper work. "Woah. Nowhere near what I had first expected, and nowhere near what I had just expected," Angela said, stunned. Yusuke started laughing.

Koenma looked up. "Ah. Angela, it's nice to see you at last." He slipped off his chair, disappearing behind the desk. There was a poof of smoke and suddenly there was a teen boy wearing a purple robe over tan slacks and a white shirt. His hair was light brown and his eyes were amber. On his forehead was the tatoo 'Jr'.

"Still not what I expected, but oh well," she said.

Yusuke was still chuckling to himself. "What were you expecting?"

"At first a tall blonde, like you hear in all those stories that start with 'Once upon a time'. But after your comment, I started thinking maybe he was an old geezer." Yusuke started laughing again.

Koenma rolled his eyes. "Why don't we move on?" he said irritatedly.

"Angela, I'm sure you're curious to know more about your past than what these three told you," Koenma started. Angela nodded. "Well to start with, along time ago, there were five different types of sentient beings. You know three, the humans, the spirit beings such as Botan and I, and the demons. The fourth were the beings from the Mekai, but they were banished deep into outer space. They did try to make a come back fourteen years ago, but Yusuke and the gang defeated them. The fifth race were beings known as 'Angels', they were like protectors of the Earth. They had a tie to the Earth that no other being has, some believed that the Earth itself created the Angels as a way to protect itself. Since their very beings were tied to the Earth, they were able to easily call on the elements of earth, wind, fire, water, and spirit whenever they wanted. Demons and humans have to spend years just to master one element. However even the Angels could only control one element at a time. It was dangerous to call on all of them at once. In desperate times, one would call on all of the elements, sacrificing themselves to protect the Earth from harm."

He went back to his seat, a serious look in his eyes as he continued. "Along time ago, a darkness fell over the earth, slowly consuming it. We're not sure what exactly happened, only that the Angels sacrificed themselves to seal this evil. That was four thousand years ago exactly," he paused, waiting for a reaction. When none came he sighed and continued, "Somehow, they had devised a plan that would ensure that when the world was in grave danger, Angels would return. The ritual included one of their kind mating with a human, passing their genes on." He looked Angela in the eye. "That human was an ancestor of yours. I'm sure Yusuke or Kurama told you about how Yusuke came to be a demon."

"No way!" she yelped as she turned to Yusuke, as Koenma fell out of his chair and hit the floor. "You're a demon! So you're telling me that I've had three classes out of four with demons! Woah... Why didn't you tell me?"

"Yes, why didn't you?" Koenma asked, eyebrow twitching.

Yusuke shrugged, while Kurama spoke up. "I didn't think it was necessary at the moment."

"Well it is now!" Koenma yelled, nearly spitting out his pacifier.

Calming down, Koenma turned back to Angela. "Yusuke had an ancestor that was demon, about 40 generations ago. He passed his demon genes down the line. Unlike human genes, where, unless you're identical twins, no two genes are alike, demon genes stay the same until someone in the family has the power to become a demon like his ancestor, though it usually only happens every 40 generations. This is called the 'Atavism of the Mazoku'. This is how Yusuke became a demon. Understand?" Angela nodded her head. "Your case is almost similar, but the awakening of your powers didn't just depend on being powerful enough to control it. It also depended on the Earth, whenever the earth is in grave danger, the one with the strongest potential is reawakened as an Angel. As far as we know this hasn't happened until now."

Angela shook her head, trying to catch her thoughts up to what Koenma was saying, "Wait, how do you know it's me that will be 'reawakened'? 'Cuz I'm sure I haven't gained any supernatural powers or anything."

Koenma shook his head in negation to her assumption of not having any powers. "Actualy you have. Haven't you noticed how storms usually pop up unexpectedly whenever your sad or angry? Or how your garden florishes against all odds?" Angela thought about it. It was true. Candy even commented on her gardening skills, and maybe she should change her career goals and become a botanist. "Have you been having nightmares that feel real, that scare you so bad that you wake up screaming and in a cold sweat?" Koenma continued.

"Everyone has those," she replied, though not so sure to dismiss them now that Koenma was pointing them out.

"Well then, have you been able to foresee future events, waking or sleeping, like de ja vu?" Koenma asked, though he already suspected the answer.

Angela thought back. In fact she did have those types of dreams. _-In the summer...I had a dream where I was hanging out with a tall red head, a tall man in a red jacket, and a short man with red eyes...-_ Her eyes widened. _-Why did I not make the connection earlier!-_

Koenma saw understanding light in her eyes. "See...You are the one that has been awakened. You just need to train your powers."

He stood up. "Now that leads me to your next mission guys," he said to Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei. "You're to take her to Genkai's shrine and she's to live with Kuwabara and Yukina. There you can teach her to control her powers."

Yusuke stood up from where he had sat on the floor. "Wait, we have no way to teach her."

"You have Kurama to train her in controling the element earth, Hiei to train her in fire, and Jin and the others will drop by to help train her in the other elements. You, Yusuke, can train her in the element of spirit," Koenma said.

"You just have this all planned out don't you," Yusuke said.

He and the others started to leave, but Angela hung back. She looked at Koenma. "You said that an Angel would be awakened when the earth was in grave danger. So what's the danger?"

Koenma shook his head. "We don't know. But I think it has something to do with these shadow creatures."

"Oh..." Angela said, thinking about it. She shrugged, "Well, seeya."

"Yeah, seeya," Koenma returned, waving.

After Angela closed the door behind her, Koenma whistled. "Damn, she's hot!"

As they were walking through the crowd of running ogres, Yusuke asked Botan, "Hey, once we get back home, how's Angela supposed to talk with everyone else?"

"Oh! That's right!" Botan turned around to Angela. "Do you mind getting your tongue peirced. I see that your ears are."

"Actually I peirced my tongue in high school when I was a freshman. But two years ago I took it out. Why?" Angela asked, looking at the blue haired woman.

"Well, we have two devices that enable you to talk and understand any language. They come as a tongue ring and an earring." The ferry woman said.

"So that's why Kurama, Yusuke and Hiei have tongue rings and earrings," Angela said, understanding coming to her eyes.

"Yes, but now that we don't need them anymore, I'm taking them out," Kurama said. "I hear that if you just got it newly peirced, taking the ring out and leaving it out will let the hole heal."

"Yeah. That is if you haven't had it for very long," Angela said.

Angela looked around her. "Hey, this isn't the way we came."

"No," Botan said, leading the way. "We're making a slight detour to get your Hear-Ring and Tongues-Ring."

_-Very imaginative names,-_ Angela thought.

"Hey, Botan! Are you going to tell her about the types and colors of the Tongues Ring?" Yusuke teased.

Botan's face turned red. "Shut up!"

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"Kuwabara! We're home!" Yusuke yelled, walking through the front door of the shrine.

"Kazuma's at work," a tall brunette said, coming through an open sliding door to the side of a large room with a statue.

"Ah..are the brats giving him any trouble Shizuru?" Yusuke asked, laughing.

"Actually they're very well discilpined. Hey Botan," Shizuru replied, nodding at Botan.

"Hello Shizuru," Botan replied, waving cheerily.

Shizuru looked Angela over. "And is this the girl that's supposed to be living with us?"

"Yes," Botan replied.

"Hm, you look like a good kid," Shizuru said, then she stuck out her hand, "I'm Shizuru."

Angela shook her hand. "I'm Angela." She had difficulty talking around the new steel tongue ring. _-I'll have to relearn how to talk with one in.-_

"Shizuru, is that Yusuke and the others?" a soft voice called. In walked a pretty woman with light blue hair and red eyes.

"Hi, Yukina," Yusuke said.

Yukina bowed. "Hello Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Botan." Yukina turned to Angela and bowed. "Hello."

"Hi, my name's Angela," Angela said, bowing as well, though a little awkwardly.

Yukina smiled. "My name is Yukina."

"May I ask you something?" Angela asked.

"Yes," the petite woman said, smiling at Angela's shyness.

"Are you from the Spirit World, like Botan? 'Cuz you two look alike."

Yukina smiled while the others laughed. "No, I'm of Demon World."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think..." Angela apologized, blushing.

"It's alright." Yukina turned, gesturing for Angela to follow her. "Let me show you to your room."

She and Angela started to walk through the sliding door, when Yukina turned around. "Hiei, will you be staying with us for awhile?"

Hiei averted his eyes and gave a short reply, "Yes."

"Then let me show you to your room also. Kazuma and I have added a house to the shrine, since we usually have unexpected company," she explained as she led the two outside onto a walkway along side the shrine.

At the back of the shrine was a medium sized house, not very wide but it had a second floor. Yukina showed them rooms on the second floor. After being shown his room Hiei left to rejoin the others. Angela looked out the window of her room and whistled, she had finally gotten a good look at the forest surrounding the shrine. "Do you own all this land?" she asked.

"Most of it, though we don't actualy 'own' it. We're mostly like care takers of this place," Yukina explained. "Genkai didn't want this place torn down or any of the forest cut down after she died, she wanted this place to be a haven against evil, so we take care of it. Before she passed away she said that we could live here."

"We?" Angela asked, turning to Yukina.

"Kazuma, Shizuru, Yusuke, Keiko, Kurama, Hiei, and I," Yukina said, listing off on her fingers. "Others are allowed to live here, even a select few demons, as long as they mean no harm."

"Ah..." was Angela's reply.

A thought came to Angela. "What about this 'Kuwabara' guy? Kurama told me about him, how he was one of the spirit detectives. Why isn't he on the list, or is he one of the 'others'?"

Yukina laughed. "Kuwabara is Kazuma's last name. Mine too, and Shizuru's. I'm Kazuma's wife, and Shizuru is his sister."

"Why do the guys call him Kuwabara?"

"While in junior high Kazuma and Yusuke would call each other by their last names. In fact Kazuma calls himself by his last name. Shizuru and I are the only ones that call him by his first name."

"Oh.." They started to walk back to the big room. "What did Yusuke mean by 'are the brats giving him trouble'?" Angela continued her questioning.

"Oh he was probably talking about Kazuma's students. Kazuma teaches martial arts to children in the city."

"Oh. That's cool."

The scene that greeted them when they walked into the large room was of Yusuke in a choke hold by a tall red haired man. "Are you telling me that you went to college and didn't learn a thing! Now you're dropping out!" the red head yelled.

Yusuke quickly escaped the choke hold and put the red head into a choke hold. "Oh give me a break Kuwabara! The only way I was able to go to college was because Hiei hypnotized everyone to get us into college without paying tuition!"

Kuwabara reversed the choke hold. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

The choke hold was again reversed by Yusuke, "It means that I don't have the money to go to college!"

Again it was reversed. "There's somethings called grants and scholorships and the like that will pay your way to college!"

Reversed again. "Yeah, but I don't qualify for any of them!"

Kuwabara paused as Yusuke's words sunk in. He got out of the choke hold, but didn't reverse it. "Are you saying that you tried?" he asked, stunned at the thought that Yusuke had made an effort to go to college.

"Well..." Yusuke trailed off, his hand behind his head.

"Kazuma," Yukina called.

Kuwabara turned around. "Yes, my love!" he said, turning and running to Yukina, grabbing her hands, love showing in everything he did.

"I want you to meet someone," Yukina said, turning to Angela. "This is Angela."

Kuwabara let go of Yukina's hands. "Hello my name is Kazuma Kuwabara, Yukina's champion and the champion of love, at your service!" he said, striking a pose.

Angela tried hard not to laugh, "My name is Angela. Pleased to meet you." She stuck out her hand and Kuwabara bent over it, like some knight in a fairy tale.

"Don't worry about him," Shizuru said, slapping him. "He's always like this when he meets a new girl. But after this he'll act normal around you, the only one he always acts like this for is Yukina."

Kuwabara turned back to Yukina, hugging her and giving her a kiss. "How was your day, my love."

"It was fine. How was your day?" she answered. They started to walk away through the side door.

Shizuru looked at her watch. "Well, it's about time for dinner." She looked at everyone. "I know Angela is going to be staying, but what about the rest of you?"

"I guess I'll stay," Yusuke said.

"I have to go home and get everything ready and organize lesson plans for school," Kurama said.

Shizuru looked at Hiei. "And you? Or are you going to go hide in a tree somewhere."

"Hn. I need some fresh air," was his curt reply. Hiei was gone in a flash.

Shizuru just rolled her eyes. She turned to Angela. "You'll find that it's hard to keep Hiei in this house." She turned and walked through the side door. Angela stood there, wondering what Shizuru had meant.

"So Kurama, how are you going to explain your long vacation to the college?" Yusuke asked.

"Before we left, I told them I was going to be taking care of a sick relative for a month or so," Kurama replied. He looked at his watch, "Well, I better be off." He turned to Angela, "I'll try to come this weekend to start your training, till then." He waved as he walked out the door.

Angela looked around, it was just her and Yusuke. "Where did Botan and her friends go?" she asked.

Yusuke shrugged. "They're probably off escorting souls or something." He went to sit down in a hollow area in front of the statue.

Angela followed him, asking "Hey, who's this 'Genkai'?"

"She was this old lady that used to live here. She was a powerful psychic, master of the Spirit Wave technique, not to mention a powerful fighter despite her age and height." He laughed, "She was even shorter than Hiei." His eyes darkened, with old sadness, "She was my mentor in the Spirit Wave technique, and she was like a grandma to all of us."

"What happened to her? I mean how'd she die?" Angela asked tentatively.

"What else, of old age," Yusuke replied sarcastically to hide his sorrow.

"How long ago?"

"Four years ago."

"I'm sorry," Angela apologized.

They were silent for several minutes. Finally Yusuke spoke, "Her death wouldn't have been so hard if it hadn't been so soon after my wife died."

Angela had a feeling that now, unlike the first day she met him, he was willing to talk about it so she asked him, "When did she die?"

"When I was 22, two years before Genkai." Angela was quiet, even though she wanted to ask him how she died. Yusuke, as if anticipating what she would ask, said, "We were in a car wreck with a semi. She was gravely injured, I was too but because Genkai passed the Spirit wave technique to me and the fact that I was a demon, I would survive and heal quickly. She didn't have those advantages. She died before the ambulance came. Her last words were 'Yusuke, I want you to move on, and make something of yourself that you can be proud of. Don't mourn me forever, that's not like you. Remember, I love you and always have and always will.' I held her in my arms, even after she died. I knew that if I was going to make anything of myself, I'd have to go to college, but I didn't know how to make that happen. For the next two years, I worked in her family's resturaunt. Then Genkai died. I was still mourning after Keiko, and Grandma's death was just too much. I disappeared into Demon World for a while, training with some of my ancestor's pals. Then I got a message from Koenma when I was 26. He reinstated me as Spirit Detective. So I've been doing missions since then." He shrugged. "They pay me good. And I am proud of being Spirit Detective, but I don't think that's what Keiko wanted." He fell silent again.

A few minutes later Shizuru walked in. "Hey you two, dinner's ready."

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That night Shizuru gave Angela one of her long night shirts, saying, "Tomorrow we'll go buy you some clothes."

"Thanks," Angela said, though not only for the shirt but for them taking her in.

"No prob," Shizuru replied, she knew what Angela was really saying thanks for but just acted like she didn't. "Night."

"Night."

After Shizuru left and closed the door behind her, Angela changed into the night shirt. It reached to her calves. "Man Shizuru is tall." She walked over to the window. The autumn breeze was cool against her face and smelled of the forest surrounding the shrine. A far different smell from home. _-Home...-_ Angela started to cry silently.

Hiei saw her cry from where he was sitting in the tree closest to the house. He turned away, a distant look in his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN- I can't really write the way Jin talks but I'll try.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/**_

Chapter Six

The next day, Shizuru and Yukina took Angela shopping. "What type of clothes are you into?" Shizuru asked as they walked through town.

"Oh plaid, leather, fishnet, camo, skater. Pretty much 'freak' clothes, as most people say," Angela replied, eyes lighting up as she listed off her favorite type of clothing.

Shizuru nodded, "That's what I thought, when I looked at your pants, boots and accessories."

"Yeah, after the attack, the only things salvagable were my jewelry, and my pants and panties," Angela said, blushing as she remembered having to ask Kurama to wash them before they left to Koenma's.

"Well, you'll have to forego getting that type of clothing," Shizuru said. "Since you're mostly going to be training, practical clothing would be best." Shizuru saw the disappointed look. "But hey, I think some leather pants, and a few of your favorite shirts will be okay."

Angela's eyes instantly lit up again at that. "Thanks."

It was midday when they came home with six pairs of tight jeans, three blue, two black, and one white, three tank tops, neon green, neon orange and neon pink, two tight long sleeved shirts, one black and one dark purple, a fishnet shirt, a black spagetti strap shirt, black leather pants, two plaid pants, green and purple, seven pairs of socks, seven panties, seven bras, a pair of white tennis shoes, and a pair of pajamas. Not to mention make up.

"Thanks again," Angela said as the walked up the long flight of stairs. "But I didn't mean to cost you so much."

"It's fine, besides Koenma is paying for it." Shizuru said.

"Oh."

When they reached the top of the stairs, they met a group of men fighting with each other. Angela was wondering why the other two women weren't afraid like she was. Yukina walked forward and bowed to a tall red haired man that was fighting a short blue haired man. "Hello Jin, Touya," she said respectfully.

The two stopped and bowed. "Hello Yukina," they said in unison.

Yukina went to the next two fighting each other, a giant of a man with a blue mohawk and a child with three stars under his left eye. Yukina again bowed. "Hello Chu, Rinku."

"Hello!" the boy replied cheerfully.

"Hi sheila!" the tall man said.

Yukina walked over to where a tall blonde man was fighting something that Angela thought looked like a cross between a bat, cat and a rat. Yukina bowed. "Hello Suzuka, Shishiwakamaru."

"Hello," the two said. The blue...thing...(_-What the hell is it?-_ Angela thought) took a perch on the blonde man's shoulder. "We didn't mean to intrude," the blonde man said, "We were told by Mukuro to come train."

"That's okay Suzuka. We have plenty of room, even with Angela and Hiei staying here," Yukina assured him.

"Angela?" the red head said, with an Irish or Scotish accent. Angela could never tell the difference between the two.

Yukina put her hand to her mouth. "Oh! I haven't introduced you." She walked back to Angela and Shizuru. She grabbed Angela's hand and pulled her forward. "This is Angela. Angela, this is Jin." Yukina said pointing to the red head.

"Hello," he said cheerfully, long ears wriggling.

Yukina pointed to the short man, "Touya."

"How do you do, miss." Touya bowed politely.

Yukina pointed to the tall man, "Chu."

"Hello sheila," he said, giving Angela a big smile.

Yukina pointed to the kid, "Rinku."

"Hiya," Rinku chirped.

Yukina then pointed to the blonde, "Suzuka"

"My pleasure," Suzuka said elegantly, taking Angela's hand briefly and bowing over it.

Yukina then gestured to the thing on Suzuka's shoulder, "And Shishiwakamaru."

"Hello miss," the thing said.

"Um...Hi..." was all Angela could get out before Yusuke came running up the stairs.

"Hey guys! Long time no see," he said cheerfully to the group of fighters.

As Yusuke started socializing, Yukina went to start lunch and Shizuru dragged Angela inside. "Let's get you dressed up," she said mischeviousely.

"What?" Angela asked confused.

"Oh come now. Some of Demon World's most eligible bachelors are going to eat with us. Don't you want to look your best?" Shizuru asked smiling.

"Uhh..." Angela wasn't sure if she was up to flirting so soon after her ordeal but she doubted she had a choice as Shizuru continued to drag her to her room.

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Thirty minutes later, Angela came out of her room dressed in her new leather pants, her purple shirt, which had a low neckline, and her studded leather belt. She had her normal accessories on: her white leather wrist cuff, her black bead bracelet, and her moonstone choker. Shizuru had done her makeup, soft shades of purple and green around her eyes, pale pink on her cheeks and chapstick, 'to make your lips look kissable without overdoing the makeup' as Shizuru said. Shizuru also did her hair, using mousse she feathered the girl's hair and spiked the edges.

"There. My personal experiment," she said joking after she had finished.

"Uh...thanks," Angela said, going back one more time to look at herself in the mirror in her room.

"Oh don't get too happy, it's not over yet," Shizuru said, eyes sparkling mischeviously. "Yukina and Botan haven't had their turns," she said smiling.

They walked back into the big room, where the boys had moved their training, Yusuke and Hiei, who had shown up while the two were in Angela's room, joining them. Shizuru cleared her throat. Jin and Touya, who had been nearest, stopped and turned in their direction. The two men's jaws dropped. The others, noticing Jin and Touya had stopped, turned around. Everyones mouth dropped, with the exception of Hiei, though his eyes did widen.

"Holy..." Yusuke started.

Angela blushed. "C'mon Yusuke, you've known me how long? You should expect this by now."

"Well..." he said, his hand behind his head.

"Aye, but we not be used to it..." Jin said, long ears wiggling. That caught Angela's eye.

She took a second glance at the guys. _-Are they demons?-_ "Um...can I ask a question?" she asked hesitantly.

"Sure sheila," Chu said.

"Are you all demons?" she asked even more hesitantly, fearing that she might have offended some of them.

"You betcha," Rinku said cheerfully.

"Wow, the only ones that I was sure were demons were Jin and...Shishi...Shishi...I'm sorry but I can't pronounce your name," she said as she looked at the blue little imp. The rest laughed as Shishiwakamaru growled.

"Try Shishi-Waka- Maru. Slowly," Yusuke said, laughing.

"Shishi-Waka-Maru," Angela tried. "Wow. A mouthful. Can I call you Shishi?"

The little demon just growled some more, taking his perch on Suzuka's shoulder. "Sure, you wouldn't mind would you Shishi," Suzuka said with a smile. Shishi looked away, grumbling.

"Hn, lets get back to training. That's why you're here," Hiei said to the men.

Yusuke stood apart, looking at Angela. "Hey, what happened to the bandages?" he asked.

Shizuru spoke up. "Kurama left instructions about that. He said she didn't need the bandages any more but she should still apply the healing paste. Don't worry." Shizuru looked at her watch. "Well I leave you kidos alone. Gotta go to work now. Play nice," she said, walking out of the shrine, waving a hand.

"Bye Shizuru," Angela said.

Yusuke was still staring at Angela, which was making her uncomfortable. Memories of when she was attacked came back to him. _-She didn't even put up a fight,-_ he thought. _-Well, we'll fix that.-_ "Hey Angela, come over here," Yusuke called. Angela walked over to him. "How 'bout I start your training," he said.

"In what?" she asked, curious.

"In fighting. Hiei why don't you help," Yusuke called to a listening Hiei.

"Hn," was all he said as he joined them. He too had been thinking the same as Yusuke so he didn't mind training a novice in fighting.

For two hours, Hiei and Yusuke taught Angela how to duck and block various punches and kicks, and even how to throw a few punches.

"Nice!" Yusuke said as he ducked a right hook. "You have a good arm on you."

Hiei threw a left punch and Angela blocked it with her left arm. "No," Hiei reprimanded. "What did I say? If you can duck it, duck it. You also leave yourself open when you block, you need to learn not to do that" Hiei kicked her feet out from under her, however, he caught her before she could fall. "Once you heal, I won't catch you anymore and you'll have to learn to be able to recover quickly and attack your opponent."

Angela just huffed. Her wounds started throbbing. "I think I need a breather," she managed to say through a raspy throat.

Yusuke took pity on her, saying, "I think we've had enough for today."

Yukina came in then. "If you all are finished. Lunch is ready."

"Aw goody. What you be makin' for the past few hours?" Jin asked, ears wiggling.

Yukina smiled. "It's a surprise."

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"Wowee..." Jin sighed, leaning back from the table. "Now that was a feast..." He burped. "Ah pardon me." Touya nodded his agreement. Rinku was still gobbling down food, and Chu was contentedly drunk. Suzuka and Shishi were eating politely, they hadn't gobbled down their food like Jin, Rinku and Chu, however, they didn't have only two plates like Touya. Yusuke was alternatively talking and eating. He was going on about how school was terrible to Jin. Hiei was silent as he ate his share. Angela and Yukina talked about their lives.

"...So you see," Yukina said. "I've been looking for my brother this whole time. I still believe he's out there somewhere."

"I hope you find him," Angela said. "I'm sure that he'll be a great person. After all he's related to you and you're one of the nicest people I have met. And what you've told me about your mom, she sounds like she was a great person as well." Hiei finished his meal and left. Angela watched him leave. _-Is it my imagination, or did he looked disturbed?-_ "Where is he going?" she asked.

Yusuke looked up. "Uh...He's always like that."

"He didn't seem like that in school," she said.

"Because he was undercover and had to get close to you. So he couldn't be his anti-social self," Yusuke replied.

"Ah..." was all she said.

Rinku finally finished his meal. He burped loudly. Chu hit him on the head. "Hey! What was that for?" Rinku cried.

"Say 's'cuz meh'," Chu said, drunkenly.

"I was about to!" Rinku said indignantly. Angela laughed to herself. That brought Rinku's attention. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you somethin'." Angela nodded, giving him the Ok to ask. "What are you? You're not demon, but your energy doesn't feel like human."

Angela looked at Yusuke. Yusuke shrugged. "I guess it's okay to tell them."

"Well, I'm an Angel," she said.

Silence fell through out the room. Everyone besides Yusuke and Yukina looked at each other, then looked at her. Rinku spoke first. "Uhh..What's an Angel? Is it like one of those bird people the humans think watch over them?"

"Uh..." Angela looked to Yusuke. He shrugged again. "Well...from what I've been told, yeah..." she said, unsure herself what an Angel was exactly.

Yukina spoke up, surprising everyone. "I've heard of the Angels." Everyone looked at her. "It's a legend in my homeland."

Yukina closed her eyes, repeating an old story. "They say that once there was a beautiful race of people with silver wings and silver hair. Where they lived was like heaven on Earth, everything they did was with grace and beauty. Whatever they touched, no matter how evil, would turn into something beautiful and good. All the races respected them, some even worshipped them. However, the Angels never demanded worship, in fact, they prefered being considered equals with all races. They were a peaceful race. They never engaged in any kind of combat. They didn't need to, no other race wanted to harm them. Despite their refusal to fight, they did manipulate powerful energies. Some refered to it as 'magic'. Whatever it was, it was never used to fight with anyone, except one time. One day, an Elder of the Koorime left to investigate the going ons in the rest of the world. This sometimes happened when there were strange reports of things going on on the surface. She came back with a terrifying tale. The worlds were being consumed by a dark force. No matter what anyone did, they could not fight it. She ordered everyone to stay in their homes and pray that this force would not reach us. That's what everyone did for a month. Then one day there was a loud thunderclap, and a strong strange vibration spread through out the Land of Ice. The Elders walked out of their houses and looked into the sky. A great light, almost like an aurora borealis but silver, was spreading through the sky. After it covered the whole sky, it started to dissipate and fall down onto the land, like snow, dissappearing into the ground." Yukina's eyes started to water. "An Elder went to the surface. She came back, this time with a sad tale. The darkness was fought back and sealed away. The Angels were the ones that had done it, but at the price of their lives." A single tear fell, crystalizing as it hit the table. "The thunderclap, and the vibration, was the Angels final powerful blast of their energy. The silver light, was their seal, their life, given to protect the worlds." She opened her eyes, and looked at the hiruseki stone. She picked it up, and handed it to Angela. "The Koorime have dedicated that day as a day of celebration and mourning, so each year we shed one tear each in remembrance of that beautiful race. And when ever we tell the story, it's respectful to shed a tear as well." Yukina smiled. "There's a happy ending. The Elder told of how the Angels had done a ritual that would hopefully ensure the return of their race." She gave Angela a hug and held on tight, saying, "And they have returned." Angela hugged her back.

"Wowee...I've traveled far but never heard 'bout this," Jin said, whistling.

Yusuke shook his head. "Neither have I, and some of Raizen's pals are pretty old, and they loved to tell stories around a campfire at night."

"You wouldn't have heared anything about them," a familiar voice said. Everyone looked towards the doorway. In walked Koenma. "After all, it happened 4000 yrs ago. Campfire stories usually deal with recent old stuff, in the case of humans the timeline goes 20 or 30 years back. For demons, the timeline goes back as far as 500 years. Unless you're talking to someone who was there, rarely are you going to get a tale about something that happened a 1000 years ago." Koenma looked over to Yukina. "I was begining to wonder if anyone besides the higher ups of Spirit World remembered anything about that time." Koenma shrugged. "Though even the higher ups of Spirit World only know about them and that they dissappeared 4000 yrs ago. I spent weeks in the library, looking from old log books to fairy tales, and I only managed to scrounge up the little bit of info I told you yesterday," Koenma said, taking Hiei's seat. "Do you think the Koorime have this story written down?" Koenma asked.

Yukina thought for a second. "I...think so. Why?"

"I just need more information about the Angels and the dark force they were fighting," was his semi-evasive answer.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed. "What's going through your head Koenma?" he asked suspiciously.

Koenma looked at the table for a second. He lifted his eyes and gave Yusuke a hard look. "I think the darkness that the 'Angels' sealed away along time ago, is connected to the shadow creatures we're facing today."

"Wait a minute," Suzuka interrupted. "What 'shadow creatures'?"

Koenma looked the others in the face, trying to decide if they should know or not. He sighed. "Well, I guess I should tell you."

Angela stood. "Kurama already told me, I think I'll pass."

"Sure," Koenma said. He turned to the others. "Now where do I start..."

Angela walked outside, thinking to herself. _-Am I really what they say I am?-_ She walked to the little pond beside the shrine. _-I don't feel very powerful, and I know I'm not graceful, or beautiful. Pretty maybe, but beautiful?-_ She sat by the pond, looking into it. Out reflected green eyes, a pale face, and black hair. Angela looked closer, there was something else there, something playing behind her reflection. _-What?-_ _**/Screams. Death. Shadows./ **-What am I seeing?** - /Silver feathers. Colorful lights. Green, yellow, red, blue, and purple./** -Is this the past?- **/Shouts of triumph. The shadows recede. Smiles./** -It must be the past.-** /A terrible prophecy. Sacrifice. Sealing./** -What terrible prophecy?- _The images in the pond faded and were replaced by a black fog. Angela leaned closer trying to see past the darkness. The water errupted and something grabbed on to Angela, dragging her under. "AHHHHH!" Angela screamed.

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"So now you see?" Koenma asked as he finished. He looked at the others, and fell over. The only ones not asleep were Touya, Suzuka, Shishi, and Yukina. "Why did I even bother!" he said aggravatedly.

Suddenly there was a scream. Everyone sat up. Yusuke jumped up, shouting "Angela!" Everyone ran outside.

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"So how'd your first day back go?" Kuwabara asked Kurama as they walked up the stairs to the shrine.

Kurama smiled. "It went well. In fact the students celebrated my return. My sub was apparently a tyrant."

"AHHHHH!" The two men looked at each other, then ran up the stairs, Kurama grabbing a rose from out of his hair and turning it into whip. Kuwabara, a few steps behind, materializing an energy sword from his right hand.

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Hiei walked through the woods, trapped in his own thoughts. "AHHHHH!" a female screamed. Hiei stopped. He turned and ran back to the shrine, pulling out his sword, not sure which he feared worse, Yukina being the one that screamed, or Angela.

He was there in a heartbeat. Angela was by the pond and being dragged under the water by dark arms. Hiei leaped forward, grabbed Angela by the waist with his left arm and sliced the dark arms with his sword, then quickly leaped back.

Yusuke and the rest of the lunch buddies including Koenma ran to the pond in time to see Hiei leap to Angela. Kurama and Kuwabara ran to the pond in time to see Hiei leap back with Angela. Everyone saw the figure rise up from the water. It screeched, **"I AM COMING BACK! NO ONE CAN STOP ME! HELL SHALL REIGN ON ALL OF THE WORLDS ONCE AGAIN!"** Then the figure dissolved back into water with a splash.

"Angela!" Yukina cried as she rushed towards the unconcious girl held in Hiei's arms.

Hiei gently put her on the ground. She was pale, her lips turning blue. Kurama rushed to her, and checked her pulse on her neck, then he laid his head on her chest. He sat up shaking his head. "She's not breathing. We need to performe CPR." Kurama started to press on her chest. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He then tilted her head back and breathed into her mouth.

He sat back up, "Okay, Hiei, when I stop breathing into her mouth, do this," he started to push on her chest again. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. "Okay?" Hiei nodded.

Kurama breathed back into Angela's mouth. When he paused he said. "Now." Hiei pressed on her chest. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Kurama breathed into Angela's mouth. Hiei pressed. They did this several times, and Kurama was starting to lose hope. Then Angela coughed, water coming out of her mouth. Kurama quickly turned her over. Everyone let out the breath they had been holding. Hiei sat by, a dark look in his eyes. Kurama patted Angela's back as she continued to cough up water. "That's it. Get it out of your system," he said quietly and soothingly.

"I didn't think the pond was deep enough to drown in," Yusuke said.

"It doesn't take that much," Kurama said, still patting Angela's back. "Besides, I don't think she was being pulled into the 'pond', I think she was being pulled through a portal into another dimension." Angela started to shake as she emptied her stomach onto the grass. "It's ok. It's ok." Kurama said soothingly. He turned to Yukina. "Can you get a warm bath ready?" Yukina nodded and rushed into the house addition. "Shh. Shhh," Kurama leaned over and pulled Angela to him, holding her as she shook and cried. Kurama looked over to Hiei and saw the weird look Hiei was giving Angela. "Thank you Hiei," Kurama said. Hiei just nodded slightly, then he was gone.

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Twenty minutes later, Angela, dressed in her new black pajamas, was tucked in her bed with Kurama sitting beside her, holding her hand, as she told him about the vision she had. "It was terrible at the end. Before the 'Sacrifice' there was some terrible prophecy. I don't know what exactly it was, but the feeling I got from it made my skin crawl." She paused, her breath shaky. Kurama handed her a glass of warm tea. She took a sip. "And then the water went dark, like there was a fog over the visions. I leaned closer and...and..." She started sobbing. Kurama pulled her to him and held her again as she cried. Finally she calmed down enough to hiccup out, "It was so dark and terrifying, like there was no light and happiness, just darkness and torment."

Koenma, standing outside the door along with Yusuke, nodded. "Now I know I definately have to get a hold of the records the Koorime have," he said softly. "C'mon, Yusuke. There's not much we can do here. Let's go talk to Yukina."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN: So what do you think of the story so far? Is it not going to fast?

REVISED AN: Egads! I've been going through it and revising the formating and found so many grammatical errors and such. I'm like sooo sorry. And hear I am, I hate to read stuff with that kinda crap and I'm making those same mistakes. Damn, I wish I had spell and grammor check. I need something better than word pad...

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/**_

Chapter Seven

"Yukina, is there anyway that you can convince the Elders to give us the records?" Koenma asked Yukina. He, Yukina, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara were sitting in the big room. Shizuru had taken Kurama's place beside Angela when she came home. The other guys were asleep in their shared room. Hiei was off in the woods as usual.

Yukina thought for a second. "Umm...I don't think so. If I go back, I doubt they'll let me leave again, let alone with the records."

Koenma thought for a few seconds. Kuwabara stood up. "Koenma! You can't be thinking of sending Yukina back! You just heard her say that they wouldn't allow her to come back!"

"Calm down Kuwabara! If you'll give me a moment I'm trying to think up another way!" Koenma snapped.

"Well...?" Kuwabara asked.

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "C'mon Kuwabara. Give the man a break, he's trying to think up a plan. It's not as easy as going up there and asking for the records."

"That's it!" Koenma exclaimed. "We'll go up there and ask for the records."

The other three men fell over while Yukina politely stated. "But they won't allow it. You're men."

Koenma rubbed his head. "I kinda forgot that...Maybe we could send Botan?"

Yukina shook her head. "No. She would be considered an outsider too, she would be welcomed but not allowed access to the records."

"Maybe if we told them why we need them?" Koenma tried again.

Yukina shook her head again. "No, they would reply that they have nothing to do with the outside world."

"Not even if we told them that Angels have returned?" Koenma persisted.

"They wouldn't beleive you," was her simple reply.

"Damn," Koenma said, giving up.

"Then why not take an Angel to them." Angela said, walking into the room, Shizuru at her side.

Shizuru shrugged when Kurama gave her a stern look. "She said she was fine, besides," Shizuru grinned, "She threatened to not let me experiment on her anymore."

Kurama rolled his eyes. "You're in no condition to go to the Land of Ice," he said to Angela as she sat between him and Yusuke.

"I'm fine, it just spooked me a bit, is all," she replied.

Yusuke looked at Angela._ -So stubborn. Like Keiko...-_ he thought, eyes darkening.

"Well...would it work Yukina?" Koenma asked.

Yukina looked closely at Angela, then shook her head regretfully, saying "Not in her current state. She needs to heal and train her power. No offense, but in your current state, your energy still feels human."

"Oh..." Angela said.

"Argh! Dammit!" Koenma gripped. "There's got to be some way!" He paused, a thought coming to him. "Hey...you said that they periodicaly go to the surface to keep up with events, right?" Koenma asked Yukina.

"Well..in a sense," she said hesitantly.

"Then they surely must know who the higer ups of all the worlds are," Koenma continued.

Yukina nodded, understanding coming to her eyes. "I think they might..."

"Well, it's a shot. If this doesn't work, then we can wait for Angela to heal and train her powers," he said.

Yusuke shook his head. "Wait wait, what are you talking about?"

"Well, I think maybe they might listen to me," Koenma said. "Now, Yukina, how do I get to the Land of Ice?"

Yukina looked at the others. "Could the rest of you please leave, I'd prefer not to give the location to everyone." The others got up and left out the side door.

"Well, like Koenma said, it's a shot," Yusuke said, his arms behind his head. Kurama and Kuwabara nodded, while Angela tried to hide a yawn. She guessed she had failed, because the next thing she knew, she was being herded to her room by Kurama and Shizuru.

Yusuke watched the three head to the house addition. "Well, I guess I'll head home" he said.

Kuwabara shook his head. "Maybe it'd be safer if you stayed here and helped keep an eye on her," he suggested, sensing that Yusuke wanted to stay. "Your room's still open."

"You sure? After all you already got alot of company," Yusuke asked.

"It's okay," Kuwabara assured him.

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The next day Koenma left for Demon World, escorted by the DT gang, as Yusuke called them. Angela, Yukina, Shizuru, Yusuke and Hiei watched them leave.

"How long do you think it'll take them?" Angela asked.

"I don't know," Yukina replied. "The Land of Ice is like a floating island. It's on an eliptical orbit, so even if you know the general area, it's still hard to predict where it's going to be." Yukina turned to Hiei. "But you could find it with your gifted eye. Why didn't you go?"

"Hn, I was ordered to stay here with Angela for the time being," Hiei said, turning his face away.

Angela quirked an eyebrow. _-He always acts odd when Yukina talks to him...Does he have a crush on her or something?-_ Hiei walked off. Yusuke, a weird grinning look on his face, followed him.

"Well kidos," Shizuru said, puffing on a cigarette. "Wanna go to the store and get groceries?"

Yukina nodded, but Angela shook her head, saying "I think I'll train some more with Yusuke and Hiei."

"Suit yourself. C'mon Yukina." They walked into the big room. Shizuru and Yukina grabbed their purses and left, while Angela started to walk out the side door. Before she slid open the door she stopped. Outside she heard Yusuke and Hiei talking.

"...C'mon Hiei, you already know where the Land of Ice is," Yusuke teased.

"Hn," was Hiei's angry reply.

"Oh, don't be that way. After all your sister has so much faith in your 'gifted eye'." Yusuke chuckled.

Angela gasped. _-Hiei is Yukina's brother!-_

"Hn, did you hear that?" Hiei asked, his voice coming closer.

Angela scrambled, trying to hide before Hiei opened the door. Too late. "You were listening?" he accused, a statement more than a question. "How much did you hear?"

Angela was against outright lying, so she told the truth. "Enough to learn that you're Yukina's long lost brother."

"If you tell her, I'll kill you," Hiei threatened, glaring.

"Alright alright," Angela said, throwing her hands up. "But why don't you want her to know?"

"That's none of your concern," was his cold answer.

"Sheesh, it was just a question, don't get so touchy."

"Hn" he said and stormed into the woods.

"Now you're officialy one of us," Yusuke said, grinning. "All of us except Kuwabara and the DT gang know." Yusuke stretched. "Well, lets get started." He then proceeded to continue Angela's training.

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The rest of the week went smoothly. Angela trained with Yusuke and Hiei most of the time, when she wasn't training she was hanging with Shizuru and Yukina. She hardly saw Kuwabara since he was at work all day and she didn't see Kurama at all.

When Saturday came around, Kurama showed up, dressed in a green button up shirt and blue jeans.

"Well, I see you're looking better," he said to Angela as she sat on the porch smoking. "Ready for your training?"

"As long as it doesn't involve me getting knocked on my butt," she replied. Hiei had kept his word. Once she had healed and he was sure she could take a tumble, he had stopped catching her after she fell. Now her backside was very sore from all the falls.

Kurama smiled. "No, nothing like that. Come with me."

She stood up, brushing her jeans off where ashes had fallen. He led her through the woods to an open glade. "This will do quite nicely," he said. He sat down in the middle, motioning Angela to sit in front of him. "First things first, you have to clear your mind. It doesn't have to be 'totally empty', just calm, with other thoughts pushed to the back of your mind," he said, closing his eyes.

Angela closed hers, and tried hard to clear her mind, but the more she tried to clear her mind, the more she thought about stuff. She sighed and complained "It's hard."

Kurama smiled. "Then think about one thing." He reached into his hair and pulled out a rose. He handed it to her. "Here, concentrate on this. When you're concentrating on one thing, the rest of your thoughts are pushed to the back of your mind. I know it's practicaly impossible for someone who hasn't meditated before to not think about something, so concentrating on one thing pretty much gets close to clearing your thoughts. And we'll be using this rose in our training for the next few days. Now look closely at it, keep looking until you can see it clearly in your minds eye without looking at it."

Angela concentrated on the rose, tracing it's outline, noting it's many shades of red, counting the thorns, looking at it from different angles. Finally she closed her eyes. She could see the rose, but not clearly. She concentrated for a long time until she could see the tiny details that she had studied. "Got it," she said happily.

"Good, now with that in your mind, all the other thoughts are pushed back. Now we can begin..."

Kurama first taught her to concentrate on trying to find her power. After several hours, she managed to find it. "It makes me feel all warm inside," she giggled.

Kurama smiled. "Now, try to concentrate it into the rose and change it's color."

"What color?" she asked.

"Whatever color you choose," he replied.

She opened her eyes and concentrated her power into the rose. After an hour she had managed to turn the base of the petals to purple.

"That's pretty good. It'll take several more days of concentration before you can turn it totaly purple," he said, chuckling at the look of frustration on her face.

"Actually, I was going for blue," she sighed, exasperated.

Kurama laughed a little more. "Like I said, a few more days of concentration." He got up and stretched. "Well I say its about time for dinner." He held out his hand to help her up.

"Oof. I'm stiff," she grunted as she stretched.

When they got back, Hiei was gone. "Is he prowling the woods again?" Angela asked Yusuke.

"Nah, Mukuro called him back to Demon World," he answered.

"Oh...For what?"

Yusuke shrugged, "Dunno."

Yukina came out, calling "Dinner!"

"Finally!" Yusuke said.

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Sunday went much the same. Angela meditated with Kurama in the glade, then concentrated on turning the rose blue. This time she managed to turn most of the rose purple. They kept at it until Kurama said he had to leave to make his lesson plans for next week. Before he left, he grew a rose bush so that she'd have plenty of roses to practice on through out the week.

The routine for the next few weeks had Angela training in fighting by Yusuke, and practice on changing the color of various plants and learning to grow them with Kurama. Soon she could block almost anything Yusuke threw at her, though she knew he was holding his power back for her, and she was growing blue rose bushes on her own. She was very proud of herself.

One Saturday, as Kurama started his way up the long stairs he felt something wrong in the woods. _-Is it a demon? But that's impossible. Only a select few demons are allowed in past Genkai's force field. And this aura is definately not one of the invited. The only ones that have been able to penetrate the force field were the Mekai gods. And since then she had strengthened the force field until she died. The only demons that could penetrate it now would be A-class and S-class.- _

He finished climbing the stairs. "Angela, Yusuke," he called.

"Yeah!" Yusuke hollered. He and Angela were practicing by the pond.

"I need you two to come with me," Kurama said heading into the woods. "Be prepared for a fight," he said as the other two followed him.

They walked deep into the woods for nearly an hour before they found a thick unnatural fog ladened with an overpowering stench.

"Ugh...What the hell is this?" Angela said, covering her nose and mouth.

"I fear I know what it is," Kurama said, also covering his sensitive nose.

"Then tell us fox-boy," Yusuke said, gagging.

"Just wait, I want to be sure," Kurama said.

They walked a little more until they came to a small glade with a large tree in the middle. The tree was the source of the fog and stench, and it looked like it was rotting.

"Just as I feared, a Tree-Eater demon," Kurama said.

"A what?" Yusuke and Angela said together.

"A Tree-Eater demon," Kurama repeated.

"But I thought demons couldn't get in here if they meant harm," Angela said.

"A Tree-Eater is not exactly a demon. Not at first," Kurama started to explain. "At first it's a parasite, that's why it could get through the force field. It then attaches itself to a tree that has deep roots that are connected to several other trees, and this tree is connected to most of the forest. By connecting with such trees it can suck the life and energy of most of the forest. As it feeds off the energy, it grows into a demon. If left alone, it can destroy a whole forest and become very powerful." Kurama inspected the trees around them. "From the looks, its been here for several weeks. It's very hard to sense, because it hides it's energy inside the energy of the trees. Luckily some of the trees this old one was connected to were close to the shrine so I could sense it."

Kurama looked at Angela. "Can you sense where the parasite is? You're more attuned to nature than I, considering it's practically in your blood." He smiled behind his hand. "Consider this your first real test in your powers."

Angela looked at him then nodded. She studied the tree, concentrating until she could feel it's energy. She then tried to connect her earth power to it. When she connected, she was able to quickly find where it was being drained. "The third branch on the upper right branch coming from the trunk."

Kurama turned to Yusuke, taking a rose out of his hair. "Let's go, and be ready, it's at least a B-class." He then turned to Angela. "Can you trap it in something?"

"I'll try sap and vines," she said helpfully.

"Good," Kurama nodded at her idea.

As the men approached the tree, Angela concentrated on growing vines around the Tree-Eater and caused the tree to spill sap all over the demon. The thing screeched and started to struggle. Angela managed to hold it a few more seconds so that the men could find it and strike.

"Rose Whip!" Kurama shouted, lashing out at the thing. The Tree-Eater barely dodged the whip. It flew up into the air and started to spit a substance akin to sap at them, but it smoked and sizzled when it hit the ground. "Watch it Yusuke! It's acid!" Kurama shouted, lashing another strike. "Angela, get behind the tree line!" he shouted at her. She quickly obeyed.

Yusuke held up his right hand like a gun and waited till he had the flying demon in his sights. "Spirit Gun!" he shouted, a bright blue blast errupting from his finger. Direct hit. The thing gave one last shreik and dissolved into ash. "Whoohoo! Take that you son of a bitch!" Yusuke shouted.

Kurama paused. "That was weaker than I expected. It shouldn't have been lower than B-class. It's been feeding off half of the forest for several weeks now..."

Angela saw something dive out of the tree. "Kurama! Yusuke!" she shouted, panicking. A surge of power went through her and then several vines flew from out of the ground like spears, peircing the Tree-Eater in the gut as it sprang towards Kurama and Yusuke. The men just stared at it, then at her.

"Wow... that was near A-class level energy you just displayed," Yusuke said, mouth agape. Angela didn't reply, a wave of dizzyness overcoming her. Kurama saw her eyes roll back and ran to catch her.

Yusuke ran to him. "What happened!" Yusuke asked, concerned.

Kurama stood up, carrying Angela. "I think it's like when Hiei uses the Dragon, she used so much energy that she couldn't control it and it drained her. She just needs to rest is all. Lets go." They started the long walk home.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN- I can't remember the whole exact conversation in Hiei's past. So don't yell at me please. What pairing do you prefer? Y/A, K/A, or H/A

REVISED AN-Damn, it's effin hard to convert a whole story to another fromat and still keep the story the same! So if you find several changes, it's because I did them to help the story make sense. Cuz, say a paragraph of talking makes sense when it's together but when you separate it doesn't so I've had add stuff to make it make sense again.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/**_

Chapter Eight

"What are you doing here? Men are forbidden here!" an old lady said to Koenma.

Koenma put his hands up, saying "I know, I'm Koenma."

"I know who you are. You are still not welcomed here," the old woman hissed.

"I know but I wouldn't be here unless it was important," Koenma said urgently. When the Elder didn't say anything, Koenma continued. "I need to borrow the records you kept during the time of the 'Great Darkness'."

Her answer was quick, "No."

"You don't understand, I need them because smething is stirring on earth and I feel that what happened in the past is connected to what's happening now." The Elder didn't say anything. Koenma decided to take his chance, and told her all that's been happening.

The Elder thought about it. Finally she said, "I must convene with the rest of the Elders. Wait here."

Koenma was about to argue that it was freezing on the outskirts of the town, but decided against it. _-I'm pushing my luck as it is. Better not upset them and follow their orders.-_ He thought, shivering.

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"What are we doing?" Angela asked, as she followed Kurama into the woods.

"We're starting your new training," he asnwered.

They entered into the glade with the tree that had been infested with the two Tree-Eaters. "Uh..." Angela said, still apprehensive of finding another Tree-Eater.

"We're going to try to heal this tree. As the Tree-Eater feeds, it infects the tree with a toxin. You're going to try to expel the toxin," Kurama explained her training.

"How?"

"That's for you to decide," was his answer.

Angela concentrated on the tree, finding the toxing. She thought about it. "How about through the sap?" she asked.

Kurama nodded his approval. "Okay, now get started. Remember, you need to pull the toxin from the other trees as well, so this might take awhile."

That started the routine for the next few weeks. Angela spent three hours each day on expelling the toxin from the trees. After two weeks most of the toxin was gone.

"Good work Angela," Kurama was saying one day as they ate lunch on the front porch, when Koenma and Botan flew in.

"I succeeded!" Koenma said, holding up a large and thick manuscript. "Let's go in and look over it." he said, walking inside, followed by Kurama, Angela and Botan, who hugged Angela.

"It's good to see you again!" Botan said.

"You too," Angela replied. "Was it cold there?"

Botan shrugged, "I don't know, Koenma left me in Spirit World."

They went into a room attached to the shrine that opened up to the walkway and the pond area. Yusuke had been in there playing a video game. "Hey Pacifier Breath," Yusuke said to Koenma in his usual greeting.

Koenma just rolled his eyes as he laid the manuscript on the table. "Okay kiddies, settle in, it's story time." He scanned through the manuscript, looking for the entry about the 'Great Darkness'. "Ah, here we are..." He started reading, "Today disturbing news came to us...

Some women came back from the edge of our land. They reported seeing a strange darkness spreading over the land below, like the land was rotting. Despite our saying that we have nothing to do with the world of men, sometimes one of the Elders leaves to the surface when strange things are reported being seen from there, it's to make sure that whatever happens on the surface is no threat to us. We await the return of the elder...

...It's been a month and the Elder has yet to return. What has happened to her? We all fear the worst...We had just about lost hope when the Elder returned. We were joyous. However the look on her face stopped any joyous out cries. What has happened to make that look in her eyes? Again terrible news. Horrifying news. Down on the surface tragedy has struck. Evil monsters that are as black as shadows and move through the dark are roaming all over the four worlds. They are so strong that they can take down an S-class apparition with ease. They grow in number as the darkness grows. The Elder has called these beings and the darkness the Great Darkness, for she beleives these beings to be as one with each other. She has heard stories where multiple shadow beings have converged to make one big shadow being. A whisper of fright has spread through the land, it says that no force can stop this invasion. The beings have been heard saying that 'Hell shall reign on all of the worlds'. The Elder has told us to stay in our homes, hold our children tight and pray that it doesn't come here, and if it does let death come swiftly. She has heard stories of where they torture there victims before killing them. I go to hide now...

...Something glorious has happened. Early this morning there was a loud thunderclap, we all feared it meant that the Great Darkness had reached our home. Then there was a force that spread through the land, a vibration of power. Through our windows we could see a bright light. We left our houses to see. A silver light was spreading through the sky. It was so beautiful. As we watched, it started to drift down, like silver snow. Where it fell, the land glowed silver for a moment then faded. As it fell on us, we were overcome with a sense of peace and happiness. Someone had gone to the edge of our land to see what effect the silver snow had had on the surface. She ran back saying that the Great Darkness was disappearing...

...I have sad and heart breaking news. A week after the day of silver snow, an Elder journeyed to the surface. She came back two weeks later, sorrow in her eyes. She said the silver light we saw was the last thing we would ever see of the beautiful race of Angels. They had sacrificed themselves to seal away the Great Darkness. However there was hope, before they gave up their lives, a ritual was preformed. The details of the ritual is cloudy, only that it involved a male Angel mating with a female human. She said that this was done to try to continue the blood line of the Angels. She also spoke of a terrible prophecy. She heard that before the Great Darkness was sealed away it screamed...

"What did it scream Koenma?" Yusuke asked, wondering why Koenma had stopped reading.

Koenma shook his head. "I don't know, the rest of it has faded."

Kurama looked at the manuscript. "Odd that it would fade so thoroughly there, while everywhere else it's still legible."

"Yeah," Koenma agreed.

"Hey, Angela, are you alright?" Botan asked looking at the girl. Angela was stiff and her eyes were looking off in the distance. Botan shook her. "Hey, are you ok?"

Angela shook herself out of her trance, "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." The others looked at her. "What? I am!" She got up and stormed out.

"What's her problem?" Koenma asked.

Yusuke shrugged. "She's female."

"Hey! That's so sexist!" Botan protested.

"Well, it's a good explanation. You girls are crazy. Your moods change from moment to moment. I was only putting it in simple terms." Yusuke put his hands up in self defense.

"Hmpf!" was Botan's reply.

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Angela walked through the woods to the little glade she had found. In it was a beautiful little garden filled with perennials. Her own little masterpiece and haven. She often came here to relax and get some stress off. Today, however, the little garden wasn't giving her any piece of mind. She sat down in the middle. _-What was the prophecy? I can almost remember it.-_ Her eyes narrowed. _-Remember? How can I remember something if I was never there? Maybe I should talk to Koenma or Kurama about it. Wait, should I tell them that I keep having visions? I don't want to alarm them. They're so terrifying, and I can only remember a little about them.-_ She thought back to the last one she had had while Koenma read. **_/Pain, torture. Unbearable. Life sucked away. The dark growing./_** _-What did that mean? And why do I have these visions?-_

There was a rustling behind her. She whirled around, memories of that fateful night coming back. Behind the tree lines was a shadow. Angela froze, against all common logic her body froze with fright. It walked forward, materializing into Hiei. Angela nearly fainted with relief.

"So, this is where you run off?" Hiei said, looking around. "Kurama was wondering. I guess the reason he couldn't smell you was because of all these flowers."

"You scared me, Hiei," she accused, catching her breath.

"Hn," was his common reply. He turned around. "Let's go, Kurama want's us back."

Angela hurried to catch up with him. "So, when did you get back?" she asked.

"Just now."

"Hn," Angela mimicked. Hiei just ignored it. They walked in silence for awhile, until Angela tripped and Hiei caught her.

For an instant time stood still for Angela. /**_She had a vision of being tightly wrapped in something, and there were female voices. "Did you hear? Hina gave birth to twins, one girl and one boy!" A surge of hate rushed through her. The scene changed, instead of being in a room with several blue haired women, she was at the edge of a cliff, most of those same women there, including a crying woman. "Please, give me back my son!" She cried. "Rui!" An old woman said to the woman holding her, or whoever she was seeing through. "Do not pity the beast. As an Himiko, this boy of fire will slaughter us all!" The woman gave a hiruseki stone to the baby. "When you come back for the revenge you and we deserve, please kill me first." A sense of falling. The woman had thrown the baby off the cliff! The last thing Angela heard was a scream. "No! You killed my son!"/_** Time resumed as the vision ended. Hiei was holding her up.

"Uh sorry," She stuttered. Then she looked closely at Hiei. Hiei was giving her an odd look. "You were the baby, weren't you?"

Hiei's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I guess you're also a budding psychic," Hiei replied as he quickly guarded his thoughts. _-She saw into my past with so short a contact.- _He felt slight admiration growing towards the girl. _-She has great potential. I guess I'll be training her in more than fire.-_ He turned and started walking again.

Angela started to follow then paused. "Hiei...I've something I need to talk to you about." Hiei stopped but didn't turn around. "Um...I've been having severe nightmares and visions lately. I think they're from the past. But how can I see the past if I wasn't there? I can also feel the feelings of others, sometimes, if I come in contact with them. I haven't wanted to talk about it with the others, cuz I don't know how they'll react."

"And you think I can help you because?" Hiei asked, turning around to look closely at the girl. Her makeup was done almost perfectly, but he could still see the circles under her eyes, and she looked very wane, leading him to believe that she hadn't been sleeping very well for a week at least.

Angela shrugged. "I don't know, I guess cuz I can talk to you. I don't think Yusuke or Koenma would really understand, and Kurama treats me like a porcelain doll when something strange happens to me." She shrugged again. "Besides, you're a psychic to, maybe you could see into my thougths and see my visions..."

Hiei thougth about it, then shrugged. He walked over to her and put his fingers on her temples. His eyes started to glow...

**_/Shadows with claws. Evil red eyes. Pain and power. No one can stop it./_** Hiei looked confused. Angela shook her head. "No not that one..." Hiei dug deeper. **_/Slaughter, torture. Screams from a thousand voices. Blood everywhere. An evil laugh mixed with a shriek. Sacrifice tinged with dread.../_** "Yes, that one." Angela said, in a cold sweat. "That's as far as I get before I wake up in a cold sweat." Hiei looked deeper, forcing the vision to continue...**_/"I WILL COME BACK!" A harsh booming voice claims. Fear spreads to all those that here. "WITH THE BLOOD OF ANGELS I SHALL RETURN! YOUR SACRIFICE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING!" Searing pain afflicts the Angels as they die./ _**Angela screamed.

Hiei quickly broke the contact and caught her as she colapsed. She was breathing heavily, and crying. "I...I felt their pain and terror..." She looked at Hiei and asked fearfully, "What did it mean when it said 'with the blood of Angels'?"

Hiei shook his head. "I don't know." He stood up, bringing her up with him. "We definately need to talk to the others about this."

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Just as Angela thought, Kurama immediately ordered her to bed the moment he found that she wasn't getting a restful sleep. "Here," he said, handing her a cup of tea. "It has a sedative in it that will cause you to sleep without dreams."

Angela sighed. "You know, I like you alot better when you're not treating me like porcelain."

Kurama smiled. "Well, someone has to play doctor around here." He thought about what he just said, and a small blush spread through his cheeks.

Angela raised her eyebrow. "Doctor eh? I thought it was played another way..."

Kurama blushed some more, saying "You have a mind as dirty as Yusuke's."

"Maybe that's why we get along so well." She smiled as she finished the tea. The moment she laid her head on the pillow she was out.

Kurama leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Sleep well, Angela"

"Hn, I didn't know you were so sentimental about the girl," Hiei said, sitting on the windowsill of the open window.

Kurama just gave him an even stare. "What about you? I've never seen you treat any other woman as gently as you treat Angela, besides, of course, Yukina."

Hiei broke the stare first. "Hn." He stood up and disappeared out the window.

Kurama stood there for a minute. _-He's right. I've developed feelings for Angela without realizing it. But I'm also right. Hiei seems to have developed feelings for her too. And so has Yusuke.-_ He looked at Angela. _-Which one will you choose? Or will you choose someone else?-_ He shook his head, dispelling those thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/**_

Chapter Nine

"...'With the blood of Angels I shall return'..." Koenma said, as he and the others sat in the big room, going over Angela's vision. "What does it mean?"

"Do you think maybe it means that it'll come back as one of the Angels?" Kuwabara asked.

Koenma shook his head. "I don't think so. We've researched and studied everyone in Angela's family. No one else has woken up or is even emitting any energy."

"Maybe he means by spilling the blood of Angels, like a sacrifice," Yusuke said slowly.

"Then Angela would be its first target," Kurama said, worried.

Hiei spoke up, "Speaking of, why did they attack her and then create a dopple ganger of her?" The group paused.

Kurama shook his head. "I still don't have an idea. If they wanted to sacrifice her, why make a stand in for her. It's almost like they didn't want people to think that she was dead." They were silent for a moment.

Finally Hiei broke the silence. "This just means that we need to speed up her training. Kurama are you almost done training her." Kurama nodded. "Then I can go ahead and start her training in fire and her psychic ability," Hiei said, getting up to leave.

Kurama stalled him. "I don't think she has telepathy, I think it's more empathic than telepathic."

"Yes, yes Kurama. I noticed that," Hiei replied aggitatedly. "I also noticed that she can see the future and the past. You don't need to lecture me on what I should teach her." Hiei disappeared outside the sliding door and into the night.

Koenma stood up and stretched. "Well, I guess that means I'll have to ask Mukuro to let me borrow Jin and Touya very soon. It's about time for me and Botan to split, I need to return the manuscript. I promised to bring it right back, but first I'll make a copy of it. It's too bad that they didn't have anymore details about the sealing or the ritual," he said as he and Botan left.

"Seeya," Yusuke said. He too stretched. "I guess I'll hit the sack as well. Night Kurama, Kuwabara."

"Yeah, night, Kurama, Yusuke," Kuwabara said, walking to his room.

"Night you two," Kurama said, staying where he was. He sat there for a few minutes, thinking to himself. Finally he got up and left for his apartment.

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The next morning, Angela woke up feeling more refreshed than she had in a week. "That stuff sure did the trick." As she got dressed she looked out the window. _-Oh no! My flowers!-_ was the first thought that came to her as she looked at the first snow of winter. Then the thought of how pretty it was came to her. She changed her mind on what clothes she was going to wear. She quickly put on blue jeans, and one of her thicker shirts and grabbed the coat that she had bought on her last trip to the mall with Shizuru and Yukina.

She walked to the kitchen, taking in the tranquility of the morning. In the kitchen she found Yusuke munching on a bowel of cereal. "Where's everyone else?" she asked, getting her own bowel of cereal.

"Kuwabara, Yukina and Shizuru went to town to get some salt to defrost the walkways and the front pavement. Kurama's getting his finals tests ready, and Hiei is around here somewhere," Yusuke replied.

"Oh." She sat beside him. "What did ya'll make of the vision?"

Yusuke looked at his bowel. "Uh, not much...Nothing for you to worry about," he said, looking up and smiling at her.

Angela didn't say anything but she knew he was hiding something. _-I'll get it out of him or out of someone else sooner or later.-_ At that moment, Hiei came in. "Hi," Angela said.

"Hn. Finish eating, your training starts today," he said.

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Ten minutes later, Hiei was taking her into the woods.

"Why is it I'm always training in the woods?" she asked.

"Because it is away from distractions," he replied. They ended up in the glade that she and Kurama always trained in. "I assume that Kurama taught you how to meditate. That's what we'll be doing."

As they meditated, Hiei taught her how to guard her thoughts. "If you must, visualize building a wall around your mind." Angela visualized building a brick wall, for extra measures she built another wall, trying to double her protection.

"Hn, nice try," Hiei said, still able to read her thoughts. "After awhile you'll even be able to block me. But not at the moment." After that he taught her to focus her mind on controling her psychic abilities, starting with her empathic ability. Soon she was able to sort of feel Hiei's thoughts and feelings without having to touch him or be in close proximity. Hiei gave an inner smile._ -Just as I thought, great potential. And the training she got from Kurama has prepared her for everything else, teaching her won't be so hard.-_

After two hours, Hiei started her training in fire. "You do have a lighter with you, don't you?" he asked though he already knew the answer.

"Yes," she replied.

"Take it out and light it," he ordered. She obeyed. "Now, concentrate, focus on the fire, feel it with your being, soon you'll find a similar feeling that you felt when you found your earth power." After a several minutes she nodded. "Good, now focus on the fire, make it grow, control it."

She focused really hard on the fire, too hard she guessed because the lighter exploded. "Ouch!" she said, pulling her hand to her chest, craddling it.

"Hn. After awhile you'll be able to control it easily, even hold it in your hands," Hiei said, getting up and leaving.

Angela quickly followed him, but half way to the house she turned left. "Hn, where are you going?" Hiei asked.

"To check on my flowers," she said, not looking back. Hiei followed her.

She was surprised to find her garden in perfect condition. In fact, there wasn't any snow on the ground. "How?" she asked.

"With your power and continuous care you created a little green house, just without the house," Hiei said.

"Oh," was her amazed reply.

"Now let's get back to the shrine, if you get a cold I'll be the one in trouble."

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For a week she trained with Hiei. Soon, like he said, she was able to hold the flame in her hand. She was able to make the flame grow to five inches tall on the lighter before she ran out of lighter fluid; in her hand she was able to grow it to the size of a soft ball. As for her psychic training, she was able to fully sense the thoughts and the feelings of those that hadn't guarded their thoughts. She might have been able to pierce through the guards but she didn't think that was polite.

As she trained with Hiei, she found that he wasn't really cold hearted, he just guarded himself from others and usually stayed away from getting close to someone. The only ones he really cared about were the Spirit Detectives, Yukina and Mukuro, whoever that was, and in a sense he had become used to the DT gang over the years.

_-Is it because of his past? I guess I'd feel the same if I had been thrown out of my homeland,-_ she thought, looking at him closely as they walked back to the shrine one day.

Hiei caught her looking. "Hn, what?"

"I was just thinking. Why do you guard yourself from others? And why don't you tell Yukina that you're her brother?" she asked innocently.

"Hn, in my past I've led a bloody life as a criminal. She doesn't deserve a brother like that."

"You know, she's not stupid. She'll figure it out someday. She already suspects." Hiei looked suspiciously at her. "It's true, I feel it," she insisted. Hiei paused. Angela continued. "You do realize that when she finds out, that she might think the reason you haven't told her is that you don't want her as a sister. She'll be hurt."

Hiei just looked at her, then turned back to walking. "Hn."

She stood there for a moment. She thought about telling him more, but decided against it. She ran to catch up with him.

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That night she had forgotten to take the herbal tea Kurama had given her. Her nightmares were viscous. Everyone was woken up by the shrieking. Hiei was the first in the room, trying to wake her up, Yusuke was the second, and Kuwabara, Yukina and Shizuru were the last.

"Holy shit! What's happening!" Yusuke said, helping Hiei try to wake her. Yusuke looked at her nightshirt, there was blood seeping through, he pulled up her shirt, scratches were appearing all over her body. Hiei saw it and made a quick decision. He pulled off his bandana, his third eye glowing. He grabbed Angela's head. After a minute she stilled, and the scratches stopped. Yukina ran to get the medical kit.

Angela opened her eyes, she started crying, "It was horrible," she sobbed.

Hiei stepped back as Yusuke sat beside her and held her. He looked at Hiei. "What was that?"

"I think it was a dream demon. It nests in a person's dreams and grows in power as it sucks the life from the host," he explained, thinking hard.

"It sounds like a tree-eater," Yusuke said, rocking Angela.

"I think it's a cousin of the tree-eater. It chases the person's dream self and any wounds it inflicts materialize in the waking world," Hiei said, indicating the scratches.

"Can you get rid of it?" Yusuke asked.

Hiei shook his head, "Only the host can do that, and it's very tricky. It makes psychic anchors into the brain of the host. You first have to break the anchors and only the host can find those, if you don't, it'll be like parts of your brain have been ripped out. The areas that it anchored in will become brain dead. I can help her but she needs to be the one to exorcise it." He looked at the girl. "She'll need training on how to control her dreams and use her powers in them. It should only take a week or two." He looked at Yusuke. "After it's exorcised it will materialize in the real world, you must kill it before it escapes into another host." He started to walk to the window that he had come through. "It should be weak, since it hasn't been able to suck her life due to the fact that she hasn't been dreaming, if she continues to take the herbal tea, it won't be able to grow." He jumped out.

Kuwabara whistled, moving out of the way for Yukina. "Rarely does the shrimp talk that much, and usually it isn't about helping someone." _-Sheesh, I've never seen him be this caring for any other female besides Mukuro and Yukina...And why is he so nice to Yukina anyways? I don't think he has a crush on her or anything.- _Kuwabara thought about it some more. _-But he treats Yukina differently than he treats Mukuro or Angela. It's almost like he treats her like a sister...Does he have a sister?-_ Something niggled at the back of his mind. _-...Wait, I remember Yana telling me about the questions Yusuke asked when he was kidnapped by Yana and his friends. One of them was asking Hiei about his sister...Could he be...It makes sense...Yusuke is always teasing him when ever Yukina asks him to stay with us. And Yusuke and Kurama always act weird when ever I talk about Yukina's brother.-_ He looked out the window. _-And then there's how he hasn't been able to find her brother, even though he was more than likely at the Demon Tournament for king.-_ Kuwabara left the house and went to find Hiei. _-Only one way to find out.-_

Yusuke thought about what Kuwabara said. He looked at Angela as Yukina put alcohole on the scratches. _-Does Hiei really have feelings for her?-_ The thought of Hiei with Angela made him sort of jealous and protective. _-Jealous? Why am I jealous? Do I like her?-_ He looked at Angela, at how she tried not to wince as the alcohole stung, reminding him of how brave she was, also at how stubborn she was. _-Just like Keiko...Do I like her because she reminds me of Keiko? Or is it something else?-_

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"Hey Hiei!" Kuwabara called into the trees, "I have something I need to talk to you about!" He walked through the woods, going by Hiei's usual haunts. He finally found him. "Hiei, I have a question about you and Yukina."

Hiei glared at him. _-What does he mean?-_

Kuwabara took Hiei's silence as a permission to continue. "You're her brother, aren't you?"

Hiei nearly fell out of the tree. _-Who told him!-_ Hiei thought, quickly doing a scan through all the minds of those that knew. No one had told him. Hiei looked at Kuwabara. _-I guess he isn't the big stupid oaf I always took him for.-_ "If you tell her you're dead," he threatened in a cold voice.

"I was right then!" Kuwabara said proudly.

Hiei jumped down. "How did you guess?" he asked.

Kuwabara looked at him. "Man, you can be transparent at times. Like how you feel about Angela. I noticed. And that got me to thinking about who else you acted so caring about. I came up with two other women, Mukuro and Yukina. But then I realised you treat Yukina differently than you treat the other two. Then I remembered Yana saying something about you having a sister, not to mention how Yusuke teases you whenever Yukina invites you to stay with us. I put two and two together. I just needed one more thing to confirm it."

Hiei just stared at the man. After awhile he said "What do you mean about what I feel about Angela, or how I treat her and Mukuro?"

Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "Like I said, you're transparent. I think everyone can see that you care for Angela, and then there's all that talk about you and Mukuro being an 'Item'." Kuwabara laughed. "I wonder how Mukuro will feel when she hears how you've developed feelings for Angela?"

Hiei had enough, he jumped into the trees and disappeared.

_-What the hell is he talking about? And he's not the only one to say something about me having feelings for this girl! What are they talking about?-_ Hiei thought as he jumped from tree to tree. _-I don't have any feelings for this girl! And what was that comment about me and Mukuro being an 'item'!- _Hiei stopped when he reached a certain tree. He analyzed his feelings for Mukuro. He felt empathy, he understood her, just like she understood him, she accepted him completely. He found he felt something more for her, but he couldn't identify it. _-An 'item'? And what about my feelings for Angela?-_ He thought about the last week he had spent with her, then he thought about the three weeks he spent at school with her. _-She can be niave at times, and annoying when she get's to chattering.-_ He thought some more. _-But she is an excellent student. And I can tell her things and she'd understand almost as good as Mukuro.-_ He analyzed his feelings for her. He felt a sense of protection for her, guilt at not being able to keep her from being attacked, and something else that he had a problem identifying like with Mukuro, but it was different. _-What am I feeling?- _He had no answer.

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The next day, Hiei met Angela in one of the rooms attached to the shrine. Angela looked confusedly at the bed mat in the middle of the room.

"The training that we'll be doing is going to be in your sleep," Hiei explained.

Instantly Angela shook her head and started to walk out the room. Hiei grabbed her arm and steered her to the bed mat. "Maybe sleep was the wrong word," he amended. "We'll be training in a dream like state. You won't really be asleep. And I'll be there to make sure you don't really fall asleep." Angela wasn't too hip on the idea of 'sleeping', but she trusted Hiei. She laid down on the mat, Hiei at her head. He put his fingers on her temples like he did when he looked through her visions. "Now, calm your mind like you're meditating, I'll do the rest." Angela closed her eyes and meditated.

In an instant she was in her garden. "How did I get here?" she asked.

Hiei materialized in front of her. "We're in the dream world. As for how we got here, your mind picked the most peaceful setting that you know, your garden." He took a seat and motioned for her to sit in front of him. "Now, focus your power and try to alter anything in this world."

Angela looked around her, she picked a flower near her. She concentrated on changing its color. After a few minutes she hadn't succeeded. "Why can't I?" she asked.

"Because your powers work differently here. Now try gathering your power, and feel how it's different and adapt to that difference..." Hiei started, beginning her arduous training.

She thought that it would have been easier since she had already perfected her earth power and was getting proficient in her fire power and psychic abilities, but she soon learned that all of that training meant almost nothing in the dream world. She found out that her power was almost uncontrolable, as if some other force were controling her powers. Hiei said that was her subconcious working against her, giving her obstacles. She had to learn to control her mind, concious and subconcious, and then work her powers. They had been training for eight hours when she had managed to change the flower's color. Hiei nodded. "Good, I think we can call it a day."

She woke up to see Kurama leaning over her. "Hi," she said, as he helped her sit up.

"Hi yourself. I heard what happened," he said softly, concern in his eyes.

"That would explain the 'handle with care' attitude. You know, you really gotta stop that," she said semi-sarcastically. She looked around as Kurama laughed. Beside her was a tray of food, she picked it up and started eating, realizing that she was starving. "What happened to Hiei?" she asked with a full mouth. Then she coughed.

"He left just shortly before you woke up," was the reply as he handed her a glass of water, laughing.

"Is the winter break restful?" she asked after she took a drink.

"Oh yes, for me and my students. They're more than relieved to be away from me, thanks to finals," he said, his eyes mischevious.

"Tell me," she said, smiling.

"Well, the students were practicaly writhing in pain," he said dramaticaly, rolling his eyes. "While I laughed evilly. 'Haha slackers, there's your punishment for not paying attention!'" He laughed along with Angela.

"Sounds like some of my teachers..." She started then stopped, a sad look in her eyes. "I've already missed close to three months of my life. Will I ever get it back?" she asked sadly.

Kurama just looked at her. "Angela, you haven't missed your life, you're just living a different one than the one you normally lived. Do you really consider this as not living?"

Angela looked down. "I never really thought about it like that." She was silent for a few minutes. "But, it's just that I miss my home, family, friends, even school."

Kurama just sat there for a moment. Then he got up."Well, I think it's time for you to get some rest. I hear tomorrow is going to be much the same as today."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Ten

Kurama was right, the next day was just as long and hard as the day before. Angela spent most of the day relearning how to control fire. Luckily a lighter had come with her into the dream world. After finding how her power had changed she was able to adapt more quickly than yesterday, so by the time Hiei called it a day, she was able to form a ball of fire in her hands without needing the lighter to start the fire. The next day she focused on creating a ball of energy with her powers. Hiei then taught her how to move the ball. After several hours, and with much concentration, she was able to move the ball around her garden in varying speeds.

Hiei nodded. "Good, now tomorrow we begin the hard stuff. You'll learn how to attack with your powers." He was right. The next day was hard. Even after eight hours, the only thing she could do was hit Hiei with two or three fire balls before he got close enough to attack.

"In a few more days, you should be able to attack several times with your energy balls, or one time with a super energy ball," he said before she woke up.

"A super ball?" she asked.

"Yes, you put all your power into one attack," Hiei explained.

When she woke up, Hiei was already gone and Kurama was there with food. "Why is it that he leaves before I wake up?" she asked.

Kurama shrugged. "I couldn't say."

"And why is it that you're always here when I wake up?" she asked slyly.

Kurama paused for a second. When he spoke his voice was quiet. "Because I care."

Angela stared at Kurama, looking into his eyes. She had expected his answer to be playful, not serious. She dared reading his feelings. What she found made her lean forward and lightly kiss him. He paused before he kissed her back.

They stayed like that for a few more seconds before Kurama broke the kiss. "Uh...you should eat then go to bed. After all, you're still training, tomorrow," he said then quickly left, a confused look on his face.

Angela watched him go, an equally confused look on her face. _-What just happened?-_ she thought. _-Why did I do that?-_

Kurama rode the train home in silence, deep in thought. _-Why did I do that?-_ he asked himself. He knew he had been developing feelings for her, but he had planned not to do anything about it, not now at least. He wanted to see what Yusuke and Hiei would do before he made his move. He also wanted to wait until after this problem with the shadow creatures was resolved and she had her life back. _-What happens now? Do I tell her that what happened was an accident, that it never should have happened? And what about Yusuke and Hiei? What will they think?- _Kurama shook his head, not wanting to think about how Yusuke or Hiei would react. _-I'll tell them both, and Angela, that it was an accident.-_

Angela tossed and turned that night, constantly thinking about the kiss. _-Why did I do that? Do I have feelings for him? And what will Hiei and Yusuke think?-_ she worried. _-Wait...why do I care what Hiei or Yusuke will think? Do I have feelings for them too?-_ She thought about the three men. Kurama was nice to talk to when he wasn't treating her like porcelain, and he had good looks. Yes, she was attracted to him, but was it more than attraction? And what about Yusuke? He wasn't a bad looker either, and he was fun to be around, she could share dirty jokes with him that she doubted the other two men would enjoy. As she thought more about him, she found that she liked him as a friend, mostly, but if he asked her out she wouldn't say no. And as for Hiei..._-What do I feel about Hiei?-_ She thought long and hard, but only came up with a confused bundle of feelings. He was distant and sometimes cold, but he had a reason. He was a hard teacher, but he was like that to help her. He had saved her twice, three times if she counted him helping Kurama with CPR. He was sometimes rude and threatening, but mostly just quiet and reserved. _-What do I feel about Hiei?-_ she asked herself again, falling to sleep.

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The next day, Hiei reprimanded her several times about her performance.

"Where the hell is your head!" he barked, as Angela again missed hitting him, even though he was going slow. Angela was having trouble concentrating, she kept worrying about the kiss and all that she thought about last night.

Finally Hiei stopped, growling, "This is pointless! We'll stop for today, but tomorrow you had better get it together!" He turned around, about to exit her subconciousness.

"Wait Hiei!" Angela called. Hiei paused. "I have something I need to tell you..." she began. Hiei turned around. "I...I kissed Kurama yesterday."

Hiei's eyes went cold. "And you're telling me this because..." he asked coldly after a few seconds.

Angela figdeted but answered, "I thought about it last night, then I asked myself what you and Yusuke would think...Then I wondered why I would care what you would think..." Hiei just stared at her. "Well, I thought about how I felt about you three. I found that yes I was attracted to Kurama, but I don't think it's anything more than that. I felt friendship with Yusuke, but if he asked me out I wouldn't say no..." Hiei just continued to stare. "But when I thought about you, I couldn't come up with a straight answer. I do know I like you and I do wan't to get to know you better, but I don't know how to get you to open up to me..."

"Hn," Hiei said.

Angela had had it. "Dammit! I tell you how I feel, I tell you that I care what you think, that I want to get to know you better and all you say is 'hn'! Fine! Just forget everything I said! Tomorrow I'll have it together, and we'll train! Once we beat this demon you can do whatever the hell you want to! Go away or stay, just don't talk to me again!" Then she woke up. This time Hiei hadn't had the time to leave. Angela saw him, stood up and stormed out.

Yusuke saw her storm into the woods. He thought about calling out to her, and offering to go with her, but the look on her face stopped any call or offer. _-Shit! That glare could turn any man to stone!-_ He saw Hiei exit the room he and Angela had been training in. "Shit Hiei. What did you do? She looked ready to kill someone," Yusuke said, pointing a thumb in the direction Angela went. "As Genkai said, you sure have a way with women," Yusuke snickered, calling up an old memory. Hiei glared at him. Yusuke put his hand behind his head and gave a goofy grin. "Man, you and Angela have a similar glare at the moment." Hiei just 'hn'd an ran into the woods, away from the direction Angela took.

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Hiei sat in one of his favorite trees, thinking. _-What was I supposed to say! That I don't know how I feel, that I am as confused as she is?-_ He thought some more, his eyes narrowing as certain thoughts passed through his mind, eyes widening as other thoughts passed. He stayed like that for half an hour before he decided to seek Angela out. He thought he knew where she'd be.

He found her in her garden, turning various flowers different colors. He was about to step into the garden, when he noticed that she was crying, and the color that she was changing the flowers to was dark blue.

She was talking to herself. "Stupid of me to think that he'd have feelings for me. Yet why is it that I have the most feelings for him when I could have Kurama or Yusuke? Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she cried. "My mom said I had bad taste in men. I thought I had learned my lesson with Arron, that bastard. But no, I still go for the bad ass types and still get my heart broken!" She cried some more, the flower in her hand wilting.

Hiei decided against talking to her. He disappeared into the trees.

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Kurama entered the shrine, ready to tell Yusuke and Hiei, and talk to Angela. He found Yusuke training with part of the DT gang; Chu and Touya weren't there.

"Oy, hiya Kurama!" Jin said.

"When did you all get back?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, a bit ago," Jin replied before he went back to sparing with Yusuke.

"Two hours ago," Rinku said.

"Oh, thank you Rinku," Kurama thanked the child-like demon, then he turned to Yusuke, "Yusuke, I need to talk to you and Hiei when Hiei's done training Angela for the day."

Yusuke paused. "They're already done. I think Hiei pissed Angela off and she went storming into the woods and Hiei stormed into the woods the opposite direction."

_-Did she tell him? And what did he do to make her angry?-_ Kurama thought, worried. He looked at Yusuke. "Well, then, I guess I'll be talking to you alone."

They walked into one of the empty rooms. "Yusuke, I have something to say," Kurama started. "Angela and I kissed yesterday." Kurama looked at Yusuke, watching for how he'd react.

Yusuke just stared at the red head for a minute, thinking, _-Why is he telling me this? Is it because he knows I might have feelings for Angela. Hell, of course he knows, he's pretty perceptive.- _

"What are you thinking?" Kurama asked.

"Well, I guess I'm not sure, I know I have feelings for her, but it's her choice, it's not like I have dibs on her or anything," Yusuke said, shrugging.

Kurama sighed. "I wasn't sure how you'd react, but I believe that it was a mistake. I have feelings for her too, but I wanted to see what you or Hiei would do first."

"So Hiei does have feelings for her," Yusuke said, voicing his suspicion.

"I believe so, and I fear the reason he and Angela were angry today may be because she told him and he didn't take it too well." Kurama sighed.

Yusuke shrugged again. "Only one way to find out. Ask them when they get back."

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Angela returned later that night, and Hiei didn't return at all.

Kurama pulled Angela into a vacant room. "What happened today with Hiei?" he asked softly.

Angela blew up at him. "It doesn't matter, I never want to talk about that asshole again. Once we're through with training and with this demon, I never want to see, talk about or hear from him again!" She stormed out of the room and went to her bedroom, leaving a stunned Kurama behind.

When he went back into the big room, the DT gang and Yusuke looked at him. "Wowee, the lass's gotta good pair o' lungs on her, I tell ya that fer sure," Jin said. The others nodded in agreement.

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The next day in training, Angela showed Hiei that she had gotten her stuff together. She pounded him with everything she had. Hiei had to speed up to avoid getting hit. _-She's still pissed it seems.-_ He barely dodged a super fire energy ball, it clipped him on the left ankle. The smell of singed clothing wafted up to his nose. He smirked. _-If I wasn't a fire demon, that would have hurt.-_ "Good Angela, you're getting better," he complimented.

Angela just glared at him as she attacked him with a barrage of small earth energy balls. As he kept dodging, Angela grew even more pissed. _-That bastard's dodging is getting annoying!-_ She thought, gritting her teeth against a frustrated scream. She thought hard about how to slow him down. An idea came to her, and she smirked. She thought _-That'll do quite nicely.-_ She concentrated hard as she threw two energy balls to Hiei's left, making him dodge right. All of a sudden several vines shot forth from the ground to ensnare him. Hiei saw the vines and disappeared. "What?" Angela asked in shock.

"Hn, nice try, but remember, I've been holding back my speed," Hiei said, behind her. She whirled around, readying an energy ball. Hiei disappeared again, and reappeared on the other side of the garden. "Enough," he ordered. "We'll train some more tomorrow, then tomorrow night we attack the demon."

When she woke up, Hiei was gone. "Good riddance!" she huffed.

Kurama walked in. "Angela, I've been meaning to speak to you about the other day," he said, sitting in front of her.

"I think it was a mistake," Angela said in a rush, turning her face away.

Kurama raised his eyebrows. "That's what I was about to say."

"I know," she said, admiting to using her empathic ability on him.

They sat there in silence for a moment. Angela sighed. "I feel attracted to you, but I don't think it's anymore than attraction at this moment. Maybe after awhile, but not now. I'm sorry for kissing you." She quickly stood up and left.

Kurama sat there, his emotions confused. He finally sighed. "I guess it's for the best."

Angela walked into the big room. Shishi and Suzuka were in there talking, Shishi in a human form. When Shishi saw Angela he made a mistake. "Hello miss moody," he said. Angela shot him the scariest look he had yet to see directed at him. "Uh...uh..." he stuttered as she stalked towards him. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground across the room, his nose bloody.

Suzuka stood there awed at the girl's punch. "But I thought Angels were peaceful!" he exclaimed.

She glared at him. "I might be an Angel, but I was raised in the 20th century," she growled as she stalked out.

"What does the 20th century have to do with fighting?" Suzuka wondered.

"Uh, a li'l 'elp 'ere?" Shishi asked, holding his nose.

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Training the next day was even more harsh, for both participants. Hiei decided it was time to not go easy on her, and for some reason Angela was fighting him like she was intent on killing him. Angela threw energy ball after energy ball at him, hitting him a few times, she had even managed to get an energy ball to lock onto him and he ran around for a few seconds before he turned and took it on his left arm. Hiei would dodge the energy balls and get in close to her to give a few 'light' punches. At the end of the session, Angela had several bruises and Hiei had lost his shirt to a super blast and had a few scrapes. "Good. Tonight we fight in the real dream world," he said at the end.

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That night, Angela went to the big room where Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei waited for her. Hiei motioned for her to lay down on the bed mat in the middle of the room. Hiei sat at her head, like he did when they trained. Kurama leaned down and gave Angela a glass of tea. "This one will make you fall asleep, but it won't fend off dreams. Be careful," he said to her as she downed the tea.

She sat the cup down and laid down, saying. "Don't worry, I will be."

_**/She was standing in an abandoned maze that she often visited when the fair came. This time, the glass was missing and all that was left were the frames and hanging plastic. A breeze ruffled the plastic. She turned around. There was Hiei. **_

_**"So what now?" she asked. **_

_**"Now you find the anchors," he replied. **_

_**"How?" **_

_**"You can sense them. Use your empathic ability to sense the wrongness of your dreams," was his answer. **_

_**"But you never taught me-" she began.**_

_**Hiei cut her off, "Hn, the only thing that doesn't change in your dreams are you psychic abilities. Now, find the anchors." **_

_**She stood still, sensing the vibrations around her. She sensed memories that this place held, of when she was a child and had gotten lost in a big maze, how she cried in a corner until one of the fair workers came in and led her out. She paused. There. There was a tiny thread of evil. She pointed, saying, "There, something evil is in that direction." **_

_**They walked through the abandoned fair ground. Past decrepit fun houses, broken down roller coasters, a leaning ferris wheel, and other things. Finally Angela stopped in front of a haunted house. "In there. Funny that the evil anchor would be in a haunted house. Couldn't think of a more cliche hiding place for evil," she joked, hiding her fear. **_

_**As they walked through the haunted house, they found that this attraction was still fully operational. If it wasn't for Hiei being at her side, she would have run out. She never was one for haunted houses, had never been in one, and her subconcious had picked out all of the things she feared and had heard about being in haunted houses. Ghosts flew around graveyards, mummys popped out of sarcophaguses, vampires dropped out of the ceiling, bloody zombies popped out of holes and doorways. There were chainsaws, sparks, loud horns, and little dolls with knives. Bloody clowns with evil grins would run from shadow to shadow. Finally they reached the end. There it was, a hideous black stereotypical goblin. **_

_**"This is the anchor?" she asked.**_

_**"Hn, what did you expect? A real anchor?" he asked sarcastically. She didn't reply. "It's a copy of the real demon," he explained.**_

_**"Well...what do I do now?" she asked, staring at the demon. It stared back at her.**_

_**"Kill it of course," Hiei said, taking his sword out. "I'll watch your back, the real demon might attack when it feels it's anchor die." **_

_**Angela concentrated her energy and sent a barrage of small balls at the thing. It screeched and tried to run, but she had aimed the barrage so that no matter which way he tried to dodge, he'd still be hit. It gave one final shriek as it dissipated. **_

_**"One down, how many to go?" she asked Hiei as the dream scape changed. "Where are we going?" she asked, watching as they seemed to speed through the world to some unknown destination.**_

_**"Your mind is automaticaly taking you to the areas where the anchors are," he explained. **_

_**Now they were standing on top of a house in a large canyon. Around them were a handful of other large houses scattered through out the canyon. **_

_**"Uh oh." Angela said. Hiei looked at her. "Um, in this nightmare, a volcano is about to errupt," she explained as she turned and pointed to the peak of a small mountain not too far off. "D'ya think we entered a 'race against the clock' dream scape?" **_

_**"Hn, I don't want to find out so hurry," Hiei replied. **_

_**Angela concentrated and easily found the evil anchor. "Well, just our luck, it's in that direction," she said sarcastically and pointed to the mountain. **_

_**"Hn," Hiei replied, glaring at the mountain. All of a sudden Hiei picked Angela up and ran in the direction she pointed. Soon they were in front of the anchor, however the real demon was there too. Hiei dropped Angela and pulled his sword out again. "Hurry and kill it!" **_

_**She started throwing energy balls at the anchor but it was too fast. The real demon charged at her but Hiei intervened and pushed it back. Angela did her vine trick again, this time it worked since the anchor wasn't as fast as Hiei. It shreiked as she hit it with a medium energy ball. The demon disappeared calling "I still have one left, and it's twice as strong as these two!" **_

_**"Hn, idiot," Hiei said as the dream scape started to change. **_

_**Angela glared at him,"Excuse me!" **_

_**Hiei sighed, "Not you, the demon." **_

_**"How so?" **_

_**"It said that there was only one more before we could defeat him. Meaning you don't have to hold back so much on your power as you destroy the next anchor," he explained. **_

_**The scene changed to a city of skyscrapers. The one in front of them was the tallest. It had a glass elevator that ran on the outside in the front. **_

_**"Oh shit...not this one..." Angela whinned. "I'm terrified of elevators and stairs, not to mention skyscrapers." She paused. "And the damn thing's at the top!" **_

_**"Hn, so do we take the stairs or the elevator?" Hiei asked. **_

_**She stood there for a second. "Well, the stairs end up like Escher's Relativity, and the elevator goes up and down real fast like it's broken, and the floor's made of glass." **_

_**"Which one is the lesser of two evils?" **_

_**She sighed, resigned to her fate,"Actually, the elevator is the only option, 'cuz it's the only one that goes to the 99th floor. In fact, that's the only floor it goes to." They stepped into the elevator, and sure enough, the moment the doors closed, it was zipping up and down. "Hold onto the railing!" Angela shouted above the rattling noise the elevator was making, "If you hit the roof or ceiling, you'll fly out!" **_

_**After a few hair raising minutes, the elevator abruptly halted at the top floor. Inside Hiei and Angela wobbled for a second due to the abrupt cease of motion. Once Hiei steadied, he noticed he was still wobbling. "Oh, and the building wobbles, just stay away from the windows," she explained nervously. **_

_**It wasn't hard to spot the anchor because the whole floor was one room. They found it in the middle. It backed up, hissing. Angela gathered energy in both of her palms and was about to fire, when the demon materialized in front of her. Hiei grabbed her hands. "No! Remember, you can't kill the demon unless all the anchors are destroyed!" he shouted in warning. **_

_**"Then how are we going to get the last anchor if he's in the way!" she griped.**_

_**Hiei turned to the demon, growling "I'll handle him." Hiei rushed the demon and started fighting it. "Now!" he yelled. **_

_**Angela ran around Hiei and the demon, energy ball ready. She blasted the anchor, it screamed, but it survived. "Damn!" Angela blasted again, using more power. This time the anchor died. **_

_**The demon shreiked "You BITCH!" It jumped past Hiei and punched Angela, sending her flying into a corner. Hiei appeared beside her. He looked her over. She was 'unconcious'. The dream paused./**_

Hiei surprised Yusuke and Kurama by talking in his sleep. "When I say 'now', be ready to attack."

_**/Angela 'woke up' and the dream resumed. The demon was charging her and Hiei. Hiei glared at it, all three eyes glowing. "Angela, are you ready?" he asked in front of her and the demon. Angela nodded, gathering up all of her power into one super ball. "Now!" Hiei shouted.../**_

"Now!" Hiei shouted. Kurama readied his whip while Yusuke readied his spirit gun.

_**/Hiei jumped at the demon slicing it in half. As Hiei expected, the demon started to heal, but as he was distracted, Angela blasted him. The demon shreiked again, "BITCH!"/**_

The demon materialized above Angela, he looked around then at Angela. He dove for the girl, claws extended.

Yusuke pointed his finger. "Spirit-!" A hand grabbed him from behind and something jumped past him toward the demon.

"Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara shouted, materializing a sword out of his hand.

"Rose Whip!" Kurama shouted, lashing his whip at the demon.

The demon found himself attacked simultaneously by the spirit sword and the whip. It shrieked as it disolved into thin air. "Did we get it?" Kuwabara asked.

"You idiot!" Yusuke shouted at him. "Why'd you stop me!"

"I didn't want the house to be blown apart, you idiot!" Kuwabara shouted back, grabbing Yusuke into a choke hold. While they were fighting, Hiei and Angela woke up.

Kurama bent down. "Are you two alright?"

"Hn," Hiei nodded.

"Yeah, though I feel exhausted," Angela replied.

"You used all of your energy. It's expected," Hiei said.

Angela looked at Hiei, then looked away. _-Is he actually being nice?-_ Angela thought.

Kurama saw the look Angela gave Hiei. He smiled. _-Maybe things between them will be resolved after all.-_ He thought.

Hiei also saw the look Angela had given him, and he gave her a look in return. _-What do I feel about her?-_ he asked himself. He stood up, ready to leave.

"Well," Kurama said. "I think it's safe for you to go to bed now."

"Sure," Angela said, standing up. She wobbled and about fell, but Hiei caught her. They looked at each other, then Hiei quickly steadied her and left. Angela watched him go, a puzzled look on her face, then she turned to Kurama. "Could you make sure I get to my room without falling over?" she asked, smiling.

Kurama smiled in return. "Sure."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN-I realize I've left Puu out so I'm putting him in, but he'll be in his small form, just bear with me, I'm gonna have it where he can transform from big to small. Sorry if that upsets anyone.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Eleven

That night, despite being tired, Angela tossed and turned again, thinking about Hiei. _-He was different tonight. He helped me and even protected me. I was begining to think he really was just a cold hearted bastard. Did I have it wrong?-_ she thought. She thought back to how he stayed beside her through the haunted house, how he carried her when he ran to the second anchor, of course he dropped her when they stopped, but it was to defend her against the demon. And what about that look that passed between them when he caught her. She felt something stir in him, but she couldn't identify it._ -In fact, it felt the way I felt when I thought about how I felt about him...Is it possible...Maybe I should talk to him. But I won't until he apologizes...But apologize for what? Aren't I the one that should apologize? But how do I do that? I'll talk to him in a few days...-_ She thought to herself, then something struck her. _-What if he leaves? I did practicaly scream at him to leave me alone, he could stay or go just leave me alone. And isn't the only reason he's here is to train me. If so he'll definately leave since that's over. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him tomorrow.-_ And with that she fell asleep.

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Sleep had trouble coming to Hiei as well. He sat in his favorite tree and thought, _-What do I feel for her? Do I really have feelings for her? What is it that I feel when I'm around her?-_ He thought about the past week. He had come to enjoy her company against his will. One of the reasons he left before she woke up was to sort out his feelings, and no matter how long he thought about it he couldn't come up with an answer as to why he enjoyed her company. Then she told him about kissing Kurama. _-Why did that make me go cold?-_ He thought about the feelings that rose up in him when she told him. He had felt jealous and a little betrayed. _-Jealous? Betrayed? Why? Why did I act so cold to her?-_ He thought again of how he had felt when she had screamed at him that he could do whatever the hell he wanted as long as he never talked to her ever again. He had felt hurt then, and later ashamed when he saw her crying. _-Why? Why these feelings?-_ He thought about tonight in her dreams, how he felt protective of her, wanted to reassure her that everything would be alright. Instead he opted for staying by her side during the haunted house, and joking when she faced her fear of elevators and stairs. He remembered how he became angry when the demon had struck her, how he worried about her, how he was glad she was alright. _-Why do I feel this way about her?- _He thought some more. He shook his head. _-I have to get away from here, to clear my mind.-_ He jumped from the tree and disappeared into the night.

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The next day Angela looked every where for Hiei, but she couldn't find him. She finally walked into the 'training room', the name she had finally given the big room. Inside the DT gang, Yusuke and Kurama were training.

"Hey, where's Hiei?" she asked.

"Oy, he left," Jin answered.

"Uh, where?" Angela asked, fearing the answer.

"Back to Demon World," Jin said, ever the helpful one.

Angela's shoulders slumped. _-I blew it. Now I doubt he'll ever come back, and his last memories of me will be of how I was a bitch to him.-_

Jin saw her sad look. He looked at the others for help, but they all had gone back to fighting, except Shishi, who had been Jin's fighting partner. He backed off, hands in the air, shaking his head. Jin turned back to the girl, who was walking out the door. He flew in front of her. "Hey now! Don't be like that. Ol' Jin here is going to teach ya to call on the wind! A trusty thing the wind. It's always been there fer me, I'll tell ya that," he said cheerfully.

Angela looked at the red haired demon. _-He's trying to cheer me up. I guess I do need to learn to control wind. Why not?-_ She nodded.

Jin's ears started to wiggle. "Goody! Up we go!"

He picked her up and they flew out the door. Jin flew fast and high. In an instant Angela was in the clouds. "Holy shit!" she cried hanging on to Jin's neck, even though he was holding her securely.

"Ug...Loosen up, I can't breath," Jin choked out.

"Ssorry," Angela stuttered.

Jin saw her white face. "Now, don't worry none. Like I said, the wind's never let Ol' Jin down," Jin said, smiling reassuringly. "Now, I'm gonna drop ya." He was instantly choked. "Ung, I'll be right beside ya," he managed to say. He pried her arms loose. "Now, as I recall, you Angels had wings and the power of wind was in your blood. So the wind's always been on your side, as I see it. Just trust the wind. Call it with your heart," Jin said, before he dropped her.

"Ahhhh!" she screamed.

Jin matched her speed. "Trust the wind! Call on it!" he yelled, smiling.

Angela just stared at him. _-Trust the wind?-_ She looked at the ground that was coming up close. She remembered watching a show about skydivers and how they slowed when spread eagle. She spread her arms and legs. Sure enough she slowed, she felt the wind buffet against her. _-Call on the wind?-_ She looked at Jin again, he nodded. Angela closed her eyes and focused hard on the wind around her, she envisioned the wind catching her and stopping her fall. She thought she almost had it when Jin caught her. She looked at him, then down. A few seconds more and she would have been a pancake.

"Woowie, now that was a thrill ride fer sure." He smiled at her. "You almost had it. Let's try that again." And before she could protest, they were up and away. The moment Jin reached the clouds he dropped her.

"Wai- Ahhhh!" she screamed. After a few seconds of screaming Angela decided that she might as well try it again. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard. When she opened them, she found that she had slowed down some.

"Good job!" Jin said, smiling. "Now fly!"

Angela concentrated harder and this time she managed to stop right before Jin came and caught her.

"Good good! Now let's try it again!" he said, proud of her progress.

A few seconds later "Jiiiiiiiiin!" This time she was angry at being dropped over and over, she thought hard about wanting to strangle Jin, she even tried, but he flew away. _-I'm gonna...-_ She then wished she could fly so she could catch him, she even pointed herself in his direction. "I'm gonna get you!" she yelled above the wind. Jin just smiled and flew farther away. _-I've had it!- _In an instant, she didn't even realize it, she was flying after Jin. She at first thought he had flown to her. But his astonished and happy face told her otherwise.

"Good job! Now we can both fly!" he shouted.

Angela just looked at him in shock. She thought _-What's he talking about? I shouldn't be able to fly...-_ The moment she thought that, she knew it was a mistake. "Ahhhh!" she screamed as she fell.

"What went wrong?" Jin asked himself, scratching his head. He shrugged then flew down to catch her.

This time when he caught her she grabbed his ears and pulled his face close. "I. Want. Down," she said, emphasizing each word with a slight tug on his ears.

"Owowow, Alrighty, alrighty already. Down it is then," he said, wincing. He flew back to the house where everyone was playing spectators.

Yusuke laughed when he saw Angela's wind blown stiff hair. "You almost look like Hiei now," he said and laughed some more.

"Oh shut up," Angela growled, as she jumped out of Jin's arms and nearly kissed the ground.

"My, that was a show," Kurama chuckled.

Jin smiled. "That was mighty fun. Tomorrow will be even funner!" Jin said, coming close to Angela. She looked at him then rushed behind Kurama, using him as a shield.

Kurama laughed as he pulled her out from behind him. "Come on, it's not that bad, Jin will make sure you're safe. And besides, you do need to know how to control your wind power."

"Uh hu," she agreed. "But I really don't like the 'drop me in mid air' type of teaching."

Jin's ears drooped. "But how else'll I teach ya. I know no other way that'll help ya. The way I learned won't do ya no good. Only a demon can learn that way," Jin said. "I promise ya won't be hurt. An' it won't take that long. You're a pretty quick learner, you are."

Angela thought about it. "Well...Just don't drop me without warning. I want to decide when I'll be dropped."

"Deal," Jin said happily.

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After several days of the 'drop' method, Angela was able to control the speed of her fall, stop in mid air, and even fly short distances.

"Now, it'll take some practice 'fore you can fly like Ol' Jin here," Jin said a week later when they went in for lunch.

"Well, how will I lift off the ground?" Angela asked. "You've been dropping me in the sky and then I'd fly. We haven't praticed lift off."

Jin thought for a moment, ears moving back and forward. "Wow, I never thought 'bout it that way before." Angela fell over.

Touya and Chu walked out of the training room, "Hi, Angela, Jin," Touya said, looking exhausted.

Chu encircled Angela in a bear hug. "Hey, sheila! You're lookin' beautiful, come wit' me for a drink?" Chu asked, holding up a bottle. He was obviously drunk.

"No thanks, I don't drink," was her polite reply.

Chu took a swig. "Suit yerself." He stumbled to the kitchen.

Touya turned back to them. "You're wanted in the training room," He said to Angela before he ran after Chu.

Jin and Angela looked at each other and shrugged. They quickly finished their lunch before they got up and walked towards the training room. As they neared the training room, Angela heard two familiar voices.

"Bingo!" Botan said to Yusuke as Angela and Jin walked in.

"Ah, speak of the Angel," Koenma said to Angela.

"Speak of the Angel what?" Angela asked, eyebrow raising.

"We need you to come with us," Koenma answered.

"Yeah, apparently you're wanted in the Land of Ice," Yusuke said. "Botan and Koenma just came in five minutes ago, saying how the Koorime want to see you."

"Are you going to go?" Kurama asked.

Angela thought about it. _-Do I want to see the cold hearted bitches that threw an innocent baby off a floating island? Maybe I could give them a piece of my mind...But would Hiei appreciate that...He made it pretty clear that he didn't want anyone in his business. Fine, I guess I won't say anything, but I won't be very polite, I'll just show up, say hi, then bye.-_ She looked at Koenma and shrugged, "Why not?"

Koenma smiled. "Alright! Pack warmly." He looked at Jin. "Will you, Suzuka and Shishi escort us?"

Jin nodded, "Sure, but I might have trouble gettin' Shishi, he's scared o' Angela. He pissed her off one day and she knocked him a good one. Clean 'cross the room I hear." Jin laughed, ears wiggling.

Kurama chuckled while Yusuke said, "I said she had a good arm on her. Too bad I missed it." He started laughing too.

Angela left while the group was laughing. Botan followed her. "What is it Botan?" she asked.

"Nothing," she said, following Angela to her room. "I just wanted to spend time with you. We haven't had the chance to really talk."

Angela nodded. "Well, we can talk while I pack."

As Angela packed, they chatted about several things, from what type of foods they liked, to clothes, to music, there they had totaly different tastes, to boys.

"So, who do you like?" Botan asked slyly.

"Well, I'm not sure..." Angela shrugged, blowing off the question. "How 'bout you?"

Botan looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected being asked that question. "Uh...I...you know, I never thought about it." She laughed, putting her hand behind her head. Angela fell over. "Hm...I really don't know."

Shizuru came in. "Hey, Koenma said it's time to leave."

Everyone was outside. Yukina hugged Angela tightly. "Don't let their cold hearts get to you," she said. Angela nodded.

"Hey, take it easy kido," Shizuru said, hugging her.

"Be safe," Kurama said, while Chu gave her another bear hug.

Rinku waved, "Have fun."

Touya shook her hand, "Take care."

Kuwabara patted her shoulder. "Yukina and I will guard your room."

Yusuke rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not good with goodbyes, so...here." He handed her a creature that resembled a blue penguine with big ears and a tuft of black hair. "His name is Puu, he's my spirit beast. He usually stays with my mom so that she knows I'm alright. But I managed to convince her to let you keep him for awhile."

Puu gave a "puuu" and flew into Angela's arms. She hugged him tight. "Thanks."

Koenma sighed. "C'mon people, it's not like she's never coming back. Just say 'goodbye' and let's go."

Everyone looked at each other. Then they turned back to Koenma, Botan, Jin, Suzuka, Shishi and Angela. "GOODBYE!" they shouted, blowing Koenma, the closest one, over.

"Sheesh!" Koenma growled, rubbing his ears.

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"Brrrr" Angela shivered. Her, Koenma and Botan were at the outskirts of the ice village. "Puuu." Puu said, huddled inside Angela's big coat. _-So this is the birth place of Hiei and Yukina,-_ she thought. "Hhooww lllong arrre weee gooing to waaait herrre," she stuttered.

"Dddonnn't knnoww," Koenma replied. The first time he came, the Elders met him almost immediately. He couldn't understand why they were making them wait so long even though they had requested to see Angela. Koenma thought back to that day.

_/He handed the manuscript back to the Elder. "Thanks again for letting us borrow it. As I suspected, the shadow creatures we face today are the shadow creatures from the past. We also found that the manuscript mysteriously completely fades when it talks about the prophecy." The Elder's eyes narrowed. "But the Angel I told you about had a vision and we heard the whole prophecy." _

_"What did the vision tell you?" she asked._

_"That the Great Darkness would come back. 'With the blood of Angels I shall return! Your sacrifice will be your undoing!' Those were it's exact words," Koenma said. _

_The Elder's eyes narrowed further. "What is the name of this Angel?" _

_"Angela." _

_The Elder's eyes widened. "Please, bring her here, we would like to meet her."/_

Koenma looked at Angela. _-Why did the Elder look so shocked to hear her name?-_

"Lllook! Herrre thththey cccome!" Botan stuttered, pointing. Koenma looked, wondering why there were so many. The Elders stopped in front of them.

"Did you bring her?" asked the one that Koenma had talked to. Koenma nodded and gestured to Angela. Angela came forward. "Hmm...Take off your coats," the Elder said to Angela.

Angela, a little confused, decided that she better not. "I'll frreeze! I wwwon't tttake off mmmy coatsss unlessss yyou bbbring us to tttown and shshelter us!"

The Elders convened for a minute. Finally the talkative Elder turned back to Angela. "Only you and the spirit girl."

Angela thought about it. "Ffine."

"Whatt abbbout mme?" Koenma asked. Angela glared at him. He shut up real quick. _-Damn. She has a glare that can turn men to stone.-_

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Yusuke sat on the porch, smoking a cigarette, watching the grass peak through the melting snow. _-It's been two weeks. I wonder if they've gotten to the Land of Ice yet?-_

"Hey mate," Chu said, sitting beside Yusuke. "They should be there by now. In a few weeks the sheila will be back," he said, as if he had read Yusuke's mind. He looked at Yusuke. _-Man, the boy's practicaly love sick with the girl.-_ Chu thought. "Don't worry, she's in good hands."

Yusuke just continued to stare at the melting snow. Finally Yusuke sighed. "I know. I still worry though, those shadow creatures are tough." He thought for a second. "The only reason we got her out alive the first time she was attacked was because there were only two. From what I hear, they tend to attack in packs. And the second time she was attacked, Hiei surprised the shadow creature. I'm worried they might attack in a pack the next time they try to kill her."

Chu tried to reassure him. "They can't fly can they? If they come, Jin will fly her out of there real quick."

Yusuke looked at Chu. "Yeah, but what about the rest?" Chu had no answer. Yusuke walked inside.

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"Now, remove the coats," The Elder said as they gathered around a fire inside a large house.

_-I guess I have no choice now, at least it's warmer,-_ Angela thought as she took off the two coats she had on. Underneath she wore a sweater and jeans, two pair of socks, one pair going over the jeans, and hiking boots.

The Elders circled her, eyes intent as they scanned her. "Well, her hair is wrong," one said.

"Yes, it's short and black," another replied, then looked closer, "Wait, look at her roots."

A tall Elder grabbed Angela's head. "The roots are lighter. What is your natural hair color?"

"Ash blonde," Angela replied through clenched teeth, not appreciating the scrutinization.

"Hm..." one of the Elders said as she left. "Let's compare her to the portrait."

After a few minutes the Elder came back with some women carrying a large portrait. On it was a woman in a long flowing green dress with silver wings, long silver hair, and emerald eyes. Angela stared, amazed, it was almost a spitting image of her, if you got rid of the wings and turned the hair short and black.

"Yes...It's definately her," the oldest Elder said.

"Oh my!" Botan gasped.

"Uh...how can that be me?" Angela asked.

Botan leaned in close, saying "I think you actually might be a resurrected Angel instead of just a descendent."

The Elders nodded. "This Angel's name was Angela. She was the queen of the Angels at the time of the 'Great Darknes'. It was said that she was the kindest and greatest leader, and one of the oldest and wisest of the Angels. She was around 5000 yrs old. She lead the battle against the Darkness. She was the one that first thought of the sealing. She gave the choice to her people as to whether or not they sacrifice themselves. She refused to make the desicion for them. The vote was unanimous. They decided to sacrifice themselves. She was also the one that thought up the ritual to continue the blood line of the Angels. In fact, the man in the ritual was her son. In your bloodline runs the blood of the greatest Angel. When we heard your name, we thought that maybe she had been resurrected. And she has." Angela and Botan stood there, stupified.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own Mario Super Bros or any of it's characters. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Twelve

The next week Hiei returned to the shrine. _-I have to talk to Angela. There's no way around it. Even after a month I still don't know how I feel.-_ Hiei walked into the training room to find Yusuke and Chu fighting. They stopped when they saw Hiei.

"Hey Hiei, long time no see," Yusuke said. He gave Hiei a stern look. "You know. You made Angela real sad when you left without saying goodbye. Though Jin perked her up real quick." He smiled. "He took her on a wild ride, let me tell you." He laughed at the suspicion growing on Hiei's face. _-I'm evil!-_ he thought as he continued. "We all heard her screams. Wow!"

Hiei turned back to the door, walking out. "Hn, why do you think I need to know who she..." He couldn't say it.

Yusuke and Chu started laughing. "Wow Hiei! You do have a dirty mind!" Yusuke choked out.

Hiei glared at him. "What?"

"Jin took her flying! He gave her a crash course on flying!" Yusuke laughed. "He dropped her in mid air and she screamed almost the whole way down before Jin caught her."

Hiei continued to glare. "Where's Angela now?" Hiei asked, quelling the urge to choke the spirit detective.

Yusuke calmed down. "She's in the Land of Ice. The Elders wanted to meet her. She should be back in a week or so," Yusuke said. Hiei just 'hn'd and left.

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A week later, Angela returned. She was greeted with hugs and smiles from Yukina, Shizuru, Yusuke and the rest of the DT gang. Kurama and Kuwabara were at work.

Puu flew from Angela's shoulder onto Yusuke's head as he hugged her. "Hey you little fuzz ball, did you keep Angela safe?" Yusuke asked his spirit beast. Puu gave a proud 'puu' as Angela nodded. Yusuke laughed.

"So what did the Elders want?" Yukina asked.

"Well..." Angela started, then she looked around. "Maybe we all should go inside and sit."

The others, wondering what news she had that would make her want them to sit down, went inside. Angela started to follow but then stopped, she felt something familiar but couldn't identify it. She looked around her. Nothing but trees and the wind. _-Hm...-_ She shrugged.

Inside everyone was sitting and waiting for her. "Well..." Koenma prompted, he hadn't heard what she and Botan had talked about when they met the Elders.

"Well...They wanted to see me because my name rung a bell...they inspected me then compared me to a portrait...Well, they then told me that I was a reincarnation of the most powerful, wisest and oldest Angel that led the Angels against the Darkness and thought up the sealing and thought up the ritual to continue the line of Angels and that her son was my ancestor and that's that," she said in a rush. The others stared at her. She neglected to mention the near royal treatment they gave her after they had confirmed that she was the reincarnation.

"Wowee," Jin said.

"Yeah, wow," Yusuke agreed.

"Makes sense," Koenma said.

Others started to talk but something in the corner of Angela's eye made her turn. She saw the edge of Hiei's cloak go around the side door way. She went out and looked in the direction she saw the cloak go. By the pond stood Hiei.

Angela ran up to him. "Um, hi," she said, suddenly nervous. _-It's been a little more than a month and I haven't had time to think about what I would say to him if I ever saw him again,-_ she thought.

Hiei about 'hn'd but thought about the last time he did that. "Hi," he replied instead.

"Um, I want to talk to you, can we go somewhere private? Like my garden, I need to check it since I've been gone for so long," she said shyly.

Hiei shrugged, "Sure."

They walked to the garden in silence, both in their own thoughts. _-What do I say to him? Is he mad at me for what I said? Does he hate me?-_ she thought.

He thought, _-What should I say? How do I explain why I left? Does she still hate me? She's talking to me at least...-_

When they got to the garden, Angela turned around to face him. "Hiei, I just want you to know that I don't hate you, I never did, I was just angry and hurt. I was hoping that maybe you felt the same, stupid though it was. I don't know why I thought that you might. I guess I thought that since you were training me and helping me that maybe you had feelings for me. When I realized that you didn't, I was crushed, and I just blew up at you. And I'm really sorry. I thought I'd never get to see you again and I didn't want your last memories of me being how I was a bitch to you. I'm sorry," she babbled out. When he just stared at her she turned away to hide the tears she knew were coming._ -I knew it, he does hate me. Why else would he not reply and just stare at me.-_

Hiei studied the girl. She had been earnest in what she said, it made him feel oddly happy to learn that she didn't hate him, but it hurt him to hear her say that he didn't feel anything towards her. _-I know I do feel something for her, but how can I tell her that, if I don't know what it is? I don't want to get her hopes up in case it's just friendly feelings or something along those lines.-_ He thought for a second, then sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, surprising Angela.

_-Did he just say sorry? But for what?-_ She turned to face him, quickly wiping her eyes. "What?" she asked.

Hiei looked at her watery eyes then looked away. _-Great, I've made her cry again. As Yusuke said, I have a way with women.-_ Hiei looked back at her. "I'm sorry for how I reacted when you told me about you kissing Kurama, and I'm sorry for how I responded to you telling me that you liked me. I just didn't know what to say." He looked down. "I don't know what I feel about you. That's why I left, to think about this."

Angela smiled. "And I was thinking you left 'cuz you hated me."

Hiei looked back at her face, she was smiling. "I never hated you. Like you, I was hurt and angry at what you said." He shrugged. "I don't know why I told you this," he said, looking away again. "Let's just keep this conversation to ourselves."

Angela nodded. She thought he might want that, since he hardly ever opened up to anyone and when he did, he didn't want the whole world to know.

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"Now, let's try it again," Jin said, standing next to Angela as she stood up, rubbing her butt.

"Fine, just catch me if I fall that far again," she said tersely. She had been training with Jin the past few days, trying to fly from the ground. So far she had gotten up to ten feet high and had flown four yards before she fell down. She fell at a slow speed, trying to regain height, but only managed to bounce up and down before she fell the rest of the five feet. She thought she acted like Mario in Mario Super Bros. when he got the feather and you were trying to fly. Bounce up, fall a little, bounce up, fall a little more.

"Alright, alright. Now try," Jin said.

Angela concentrated, she gathered the wind around her and concentrated on lift off.

Yusuke watched her lift off and fly a distance before she fell into Jin's arms. He smiled. _-She'll get it by the end of the day. As Jin said, she's a quick learner.-_ Yusuke looked into the trees behind the two flyers. He saw a dark shadow in the upper branches of one of the trees. He smiled again, a little sad. He remembered how sad Angela had been at finding Hiei gone, and at how fast she found him and sought him out the day she returned. _-I guess I knew she'd never be mine.-_ He laughed quietly to himself. _-Me and Kurama never had the chance. I guess it's time for the Shrimp to find happiness, I've had my chance, and some how I think Kurama knew she would never be his. Ah well, I'm happy for them.-_ He looked from the tree that Hiei was in, to Angela. _-Now if only we could get them to realize it and confess it openly. I know Angela said she had feelings, and I can guess from Angela's happy mood that Hiei had finally said something about his feelings, but I doubt they openly said 'I love you'.-_ He looked at the tree again to find it empty. He laughed. _-Though I might be an old man before he admits it.-_

"Haha! I did it!" Angela exclaimed, shaking Yusuke out of his thoughts. She was flying around without wobbling or bouncing.

Jin started to fly around her. "Yippee! Now Ol' Jin here has a fellow flyer! And a good one at that, I tell ya."

Yusuke stood up clapping, "Great! Now can we go in for some late lunch?"

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The trio walked into the training room after they had eaten. Inside the rest fo the DT gang were training.

Touya, who had been training with Rinku and Chu looked over and saw Angela and Jin. "Are your wind lessons done?" he asked. When Angela nodded he said, "Good now we can train in ice and water."

Angela shook her head. "Tomorrow." Touya nodded.

"Hey, Angela. It's been awhile since we've trained," Yusuke said, dragging her into the middle of the room.

"Fine," Angela said, getting ready.

Touya watched the two start fighting. "Is she a good learner as you all say?" he asked Jin.

Jin nodded. "Sure is. Now lets fight!" Touya laughed.

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Hiei walked through the forest, thinking. _-What now? I told her how I felt, hoping to clear this confusion, but it didn't help. What's the matter with me? I've never felt like this. Only when I started to really think about what everyone was saying did I realize that I felt like this. They say Mukuro and I are a pair, but it's not true. Like with Angela, I do know I have feelings for her, but they're different than the feelings I have for Angela. And what do I really feel for Angela? Is it love, like Kurama hinted at, or is it kinship? I feel the need to protect her like I feel for Yukina, but do I think of her as a sister, or just a friend? Or is it more than that? Why do I keep asking these questions!-_ he asked himself, frustrated. "Dammit, this woman is driving me crazy!" he said angrily to the forest.

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Shizuru came home late that day. She walked into the kitchen to find Yukina and Angela doing the dishes. "Hey kidos," she said.

"Guess what?" Angela said happily.

"What?" Shizuru asked.

"I flew from the ground today!"

"Nice, I'd like to see that. Now you two guess what?" she asked in turn.

Yukina, smiling at Angela's happiness turned to Shizuru. "What?"

Shizuru held up an invitation. "My work is having a ball and we're invited."

"When is it?" Yukina asked.

"In a week."

"Ah, enough time to go shopping for proper clothes," Yukina said, turning to Angela. "What...ohh...umm..." Yukina felt a wave of dizzyness over come her. She grabbed onto the counter and stood still as the dizzyness passed.

"You okay!" Angela and Shizuru said together, coming close to Yukina to catch her if she fell.

"I'm okay, I've just felt a little under the weather lately," she smiled reassuringly.

Shizuru felt her forehead. "Hmm, no temp. What's your symptoms?"

"Oh just a little nausea, and waves of dizzyness."

Shizuru looked at Yukina closely. "Do you think you might be...?"

Yukina shrugged. "I...think so...but I want to be sure."

"Have you gotten a pregnancy test yet?" Shizuru asked.

"I wasn't sure how they'd work on demons."

Shizuru nodded. "Yeah, and I don't think going to a human doctor would be a good idea..."

Angela's eyes lit up. "That's it!" The two looked at her. Angela elaborated on her exclamation, "You said 'human doctor', well what about a doctor from Spirit or Demon World?"

Yukina thought about it. "Yes, I'm sure the doctors in either of those places would do."

"But how do we exactly get to either of those places without the boys knowing, 'cuz I'm sure you want to take your own time before you let them know," Shizuru said to Yukina.

Yukina nodded. "Yes, Kazuma has been wanting children, he might not say so, not wanting to push me, but I know he does. I don't want to get his hopes up."

"Well," Angela started. "What about Botan? I'm sure we can ask her."

"Yeah, but we don't know when she'll be coming next," Shizuru said. They stood there, thinking. Suddenly an idea came to Shizuru. "What about if we invite her to the ball? We can then tell her when she comes, and say that we're going shopping while she takes Yukina to a doctor."

"That's a great idea!" Yukina said, while Angela nodded.

"We can get Yusuke to contact Koenma, 'cuz I'm sure there's some way that they communicate long distance," Angela said, walking out. "I'll go talk to him."

She found Yusuke star gazing on the roof, Puu flying around beside him. The moment Puu saw her he flew into her arms. "Puuu!"

"Hi Puu," she said, hugging the spirit beast then letting him go as she climbed up the ladder Yusuke had used. The moment she was on the roof, Puu again flew into her arms.

Yusuke looked over and smiled. "Puu sure took a liking to you."

She looked at the little creature, smiling. "Yeah well, a month in each other's company will do that to you." She laid beside Yusuke, looking at the stars. "They're beautiful. When I look at them, I feel that there's hope for everything in the world, no matter how wrong things are. Whenever I feel sad or lonely, I look at the stars, and I feel connected to everyone, because I know that they're under the same stars." She smiled sadly. "When I moved away to college, I was feeling very homesick. I called my parents, almost in tears because I wasn't with them. My dad just laughed and said that I am with them, as they are with me. He then said that all I had to do was look at the sky and the stars and I was with them, because we are under the same sky, under the same sun, under the same stars, no matter the distance we're from each other. He said that each night he and my mom would look at the stars at a certain time and if I was looking at the stars at the same time, then we would be together at that time, even though I was away." Tears slowly ran down her face. "I still look at the stars at the same time that they look at the stars." She laughed. "The first time I was able to take the time to look at the stars here, I had to figure out what time I should look at the sky so I was looking at it at the same time as my parents. True, it's still day here when it's night there, but I look at the sky then, and at night I look at the stars, to see what they saw. And at those times I feel like everything is okay, and that some day I'll be able to see them again."

They laid there for a long while, Yusuke thinking about what Angela had said. _-Keiko? Can you see the stars where you are? Or are you among them?-_ he thought, smiling as the peace of the thought and the stars enveloped him.

Finally Angela sighed and sat up. "I forgot why I came up here. Is there some way that you can contact the Spirit World?" Yusuke nodded. "Cool 'cuz Shizuru wants you to contact Botan and Koenma to see if they want to go to her company's ball in a week, if so, then could Botan come tomorrow so we can go shopping."

Yusuke sat bolt upright. "Sure, but am I going?" Angela nodded. "But I can't dance!" he exclaimed, slightly embarrased.

Angela laughed, "Then we'll teach you."

As she stepped off the ladder, she saw Hiei sneeking off. "Hey Hiei, Shizuru invited us to go to her company ball, are you going?" she asked as she ran up to with him.

Hiei looked at her shining eyes. _-She really wants me to go...Damn...-_ "I guess, but I can't dance," he said quietly.

Angela smiled. "Then we'll be teaching you and Yusuke," she said as she walked back to the kitchen. She paused. "Oh, and you'll need something to wear, tomorrow us girls are going shopping for us, later on in the week we'll take you guys."

Hiei just stared at her as she walked away. _-How the hell did I get to be this way! Why do I want to please her!-_ he thought incredulously to himself.

"Yusuke is going to contact Koenma and Botan to invite them and ask Botan to come here to go shopping with us tomorrow," Angela said as she walked into the kitchen. Shizuru and Yukina were talking at the table as Shizuru ate.

"Cool," Shizuru said.

"I also snagged Yusuke and Hiei into going to the ball, though both will need dance lessons and proper outfits. Was that alright?"

Shizuru nodded, saying, "Though I'd refrain from asking the DT gang, I think the only one that would fit in would be Suzuka, and when in a crowd he can be a bit pompous." Angela giggled at the mental picture.

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The next day Botan showed up, ready to go shopping. The girls pulled her into the kitchen as they washed the morning dishes. Shizuru looked out the door to make sure no men were around. She nodded as she closed the door. "Okay, it's safe," she said.

Botan looked at the three women, confused. "What's safe?"

"I need to ask you to do something," Yukina started. "I need you to take me to a doctor in Spirit World to see if I'm pregnant."

Botan opened her mouth, but Shizuru covered it, forestalling any exclamation. "The guys can't know. We'll leave as if were going shopping, then you and Yukina will leave to the Spirit World. Got it?" Shizuru asked. Botan nodded. "Angela and I will go find dresses for you two. By the way, what are your measurements, I know Yukina's."

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"By guys, play nice!" the girls said as they left. They walked down the steps, chatting normally.

"Oh! Angela, I forgot to bring you some cd's!" Botan said.

Angela looked over at her. "Huh?"

"After we talked, I went and looked up the cd's you were talking about and got them for you," Botan said happily.

"Cool!" Angela said, just as happily. "Finally some of my music!"

They walked all the way down to the middle of the long stair case. Shizuru stopped and stood a few steps above them while Angela went down several steps.

"Okay here," Shizuru said.

Angela nodded. "Here too."

"Okay, ready to go Yukina?" Botan asked as she materialized her oar.

Yukina looked nervously at the oar. "Well, my stomach might not be but I am. Mostly," she said as she sat on the back.

"Well, Shizuru, Angela. We'll see you later," Botan said. The other two nodded as they watched Botan fly off.

"Hey, do you think the others could see them?" Angela asked.

Shizuru shook her head. "No, Botan can make herself visble to whoever she wants and if she doesn't want someone to see her, they won't."

"Cool."

Shizuru looked at Angela, "Well, kido, ready to go shopping?" Angela nodded.

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Late afternoon Shizuru and Angela walked up the steps carrying four dresses. They kept looking ahead of them and behind them, worrying about what would happen if someone walked up or down the stairs and found only Shizuru and Angela. Finally they made it to the middle point and waited anxiously for Botan and Yukina. After fifteen minutes they showed up.

"How'd it go?" Angela asked as she helped a green Yukina off of the oar.

"Well..." Yukina paused to catch her breath. "We won't know until the doctor contacts me."

"How will she do that?" Angela asked.

Botan said, "Oh I brought a set of communication compacts with me, and gave one to the doctor and one to Yukina."

"If the doc calls won't it ring on all of the compacts?" Shizuru asked.

Botan shook her head. "No these compacts only communicate to each other. The other compacts won't recieve any calls from these two. It also has vibrate in case the doc calls while Yukina is with someone, and has an answering machine. So if she can't pick it up the doc can leave a message." "

Handy little walkie talkie," Shizuru said as she handed Botan's and Yukina's dresses to them. "Well, up the stairs we go. Can you make it Yukina?"

"Yeah"

"About time ya'll got back," Yusuke said as he and Jin paused in fighting. "So whaddya get?" Yusuke asked, a smile on his face. "Come on and show us."

Shizuru shook her head. "Nope, it's a secret."

"Aw man. Us guys were hoping to get a show," Yusuke said slyly.

"Hmm...what kind of show? I'll see if I can accomodate you..." Angela said mischeviously. Y

usuke's eyes widened. "Uh...come closer and I'll tell you." Angela walked up to him and he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

Angela blushed. "Well...I'm sorry but for that I'd need 'proper' clothing," she replied, laughing. She turned to Jin, "And what about you, what type of show would you want...?" The other three girls laughed as they walked by a furiously blushing Jin.

Hiei watched from a nearby tree, half smiling, half scowling, fully blushing. _-She...she's a good flirt, and a match for Yusuke in dirty jokes. But why did that make me jealous and angry. Why did I wish that she had said that to me?-_ Hiei shook his head and left.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN-I think 'off the shoulder' is what you call a shirt or dress where the sleeves leave the shoulders bare. CrazyOtaku, sorry but I'm borrowing the chinese dress get up.

REVISED AN: I fixed the little detail where I had accidentally placed Genkai's shrin close to the city where they didn't have to use the train. Now the train is and that problem is fixed.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Thirteen

The next day, the girls gathered Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara and Koenma, who Botan had to fly in, and took them shopping.

"Isn't the word 'shopping' another word for 'torture' to men?" Yusuke said as they walked into a tux store.

"Shut up, it's very important that you're properly attired for the ball. A tux is mandatory for men and women must dress in nice evening gowns," Shizuru said as tailors came over to measure the men.

"Hm...we might have something that might fit you after some tailoring," one of the women said, measuring Hiei.

Another looked at Shizuru. "Can there be other colors or is it just black?"

"Black only," Shizuru answered.

"That makes our job alot easier." She smiled at the men. "It's almost as if they have no choice in what they're going to wear."

"Not really," Shizuru agreed.

Angela saw Hiei's face as he was remeasured. She giggled. "Hiei, it looks as if your in pain," she said. Hiei just glared at her.

"Hey now! Don't get frisky!" Yusuke said as a seamstress measured his leg.

"How long will this take?" Kurama asked politely. "Because there's a science meeting at 4:00."

"Oh you'll be done be then," his tailor said.

Soon the guys were trying on their tuxidos. The girls clapped as they came out of the dressing rooms.

"Hey! Why is it okay for you to see us in our suits before the ball, but not for us to see you?" Yusuke asked.

"Because we need to make sure your suits fit," Shizuru said. "Besides, it's usually the way it is." Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Well what do you think Yukina? Do I look handsom honey?" Kuwabara asked, posing.

Yukina laughed. "Yes you do dear."

"Alright, I guess you're good. Now how much will it be?" Shizuru asked the tailors.

When they got home the guys put there suits away and the girls readied the training room, turning it into a dance room. When the guys came in Yukina took Kuwabara, though he already knew how to dance thanks to their wedding, Shizuru took Koenma, Botan took Yusuke and Angela took Hiei.

"Well now, time for your dance lesson," Shizuru said.

Angela smirked and leaned towards Hiei. "It's also another term for 'torture' for men." Hiei just looked at her.

"Now, take the girl's hand like this and put your other hand on her hip..." Shizuru started.

For three hours the men were taught to dance to slow songs, to moderately fast songs and the waltz. Yukina had to stop early, saying that she had to make dinner. As they danced, the DT gang cheered and booed the learners. At one point Shizuru threatened to 'teach' them if they didn't quiet down.

For the next few days Angela trained with Touya. Touya was surprised to find that the phrase 'quick learner' was an understatement when it came to Angela. By the third day she had nearly mastered ice and water.

"My, your training with Kurama, Hiei, and Jin has prepared you for learning anything," he said at the end of the third day. "The only thing I had to teach you was how to control ice and water seperately and together."

Angela laughed. "Well, this was the trickiest element so far, since it came in two types. But you're a good teacher," she complimented him, smiling.

Touya looked at her._ -Jin did warn me. She's a heart breaker. And I doubt she realizes it,-_ he thought.

"Hey, now that you and Jin have finished training me, are you all going to leave?" she asked.

Touya shook his head, quickly thinking about what to say to her. "Ah, nah. We're on vacation for now. We'll stay awhile longer." He couldn't say that they were here for added protection in case the shadow creatures came to attack her again.

"That's cool," she said as she stretched and yawned. "Well, I'm gonna eat then I'll tuck in early. Big day tomorrow."

She went into the kitchen to find Botan and Shizuru hugging Yukina. Yukina smiled at her. "I'm pregnant!"

"That's great!" Angela said as she too hugged Yukina. "When you gonna tell everyone?"

Yukina thought about it. "I think I'll make a big dinner next Saturday and announce it then," she said at last.

"Well, kidos, let's eat then hit the sack, big day tomorrow," Shizuru said.

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The next day the girls kicked the guys out while they got ready. Each girl took their turn in the shower, after three hours and one hour spent dying Angela's hair, they were done. Then they took their turns at the mirror, putting on their make up. Several times they washed their faces and put on different make up, after two hours they were happy. Then they helped style each other's hair. After an hour and a half of styling, each had their own unique style. Then they ran around gathering up jewelry and trinkets, trying on this and that until they had the jewelry that they wanted. Finally seven hours after they started getting ready, they were ready to get dressed. After they put on panty hoses and bras that would go under their dresses, they carefully put on the dresses. They each had their turn in the full length mirror. Then it was a rush to exchange jewelry. After another hour, they were finally ready to present themselves.

"Man, how long does it take to put on a dress?" Yusuke asked as he, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, and Koenma waited in the training room.

Kuwabara laughed. "Man, they don't just put on a dress. They do all sorts of other stuff. This is normal. Shizuru's company has invited us to several occassions that required dressiness. They spend half the day getting ready. Though not this long. I guess it's because it's four girls instead of two."

"Jin!" They heard one of the girls yell.

In zipped Jin, smiling and ears wiggling. "Wowwee. Now that was a sight fer sore eyes, I'll tell ya that fer sure." He looked behind himself, then looked back, still smiling. "You boys are in for a nice treat. I think you're 'bout to get that show you were wantin' Yusuke."

In walked Yukina. She was dressed in a soft blue dress with spagetti straps, a princess cut neckline and a knee length hem line. Her hair was fashioned into three french braids, one in the middle of her hair and one on each side. The braids ended just before the back of her head, letting her hair fall in slightly curly waves down her back. Two pearl barrettes were placed at the start of the two braids on the side of her head. She wore two hanging pearl earings, a small silver choker with a pearl pendant and a silver pearl bracelet, a set that Kuwabara had giving her as an anniversary present one year. Her make up was done in soft shades of blue and pink around her eyes, light pink for her cheeks and lips, and white for her nails.

Kuwabara about cried as he took Yukina's hands in his own and kissed her lightly. "Beautiful!" he whispered. All the guys clapped loudly.

Next came Shizuru. She wore a black, off the shoulder dress that ended mid thigh. Most of her hair was in a bun at the back of her head, a hand full of bangs were curled over the left side of her face. The only jewelry she wore was a black necklace and black bracelet. Her make up was done in the neutral shades of soft brown and soft red and her nails were a burgundy red.

As the others clapped, mostly because of the glare Shizuru gave them, Kuwabara braved a comment. "Hey, sis, just 'cuz you aren't trying to impress one of us doesn't mean you shouldn't dress up."

That deserved him a slap against the head. "For your information, we girls have our own taste of style! And this is my taste!"

Botan came in next. She got several wide eyed stares. Like Yukina she went for light blue. But they're dresses were totaly different. Botan had on a chinese style dress that buttoned at her left shoulder, with a calf length hem line and a slit in the side starting at her upper thigh. It had light pink decoration and a light pink lining. Her only jewelry was a pair of pink earings. Her hair was in a bun on the left side of the back of her head with curly hair tumbling out of the middle of the bun. Her make up was done in varying shades of pink with light pink nails. The boys just gawked. They'd never seen Botan this way.

"Well..." Botan prompted.

Kurama was the first to recover. "Your outstanding..."

Botan blushed. "Thank you."

Finally Angela came in. She also got wide eyed stares, Hiei's eyes were the ones to widen the most, and slacked jaws. She wore a floor length dark green dress with three inch wide sleeves and a deep v-shaped neckline. It was form fitting until it reached her hip were it fell straight down to her ankles. For jewelry, she had a black steel chocker with a small rose pendent, matching rose earrings, along with a small stud Hear-Ring in her upper cartilage, and a matching black steel bracelet with small roses. Her hair, redyed midnight black, was pulled up into a large black clip with rose decorations, a few inches of hair that tufted out of the top of the clip were moussed to be spikey. Like Shizuru, she had a fall of straight hair flipping from the left side of her head to fall over the right side, the ends moussed spikey. Her make up was done in soft pink and dark green for her eyes, rose for her cheeks, deep pink for her lips and nails.

"Wow..." was all Yusuke could say.

Hiei just nodded, he was speechless as were the rest of the men. _-She's beautiful...-_

"What'd I tell ya?" Jin said, grinning.

Shizuru rolled her eyes. "C'mon girls, guys. Lets get our shoes, purses and jackets and leave."

Yukina's shoes were lowheeled light blue and she had a small light blue hand bag. Shizuru had black high heels and a black thin strapped purse. Botan's shoes were light pink high heels and her purse was short handled and light pink with light blue stitching. Angela's shoes were low heeled dark green and her small dark green purse had a long thin strap and an embroidered rose in the middle.

"Uh...girls..." Yusuke said as he stared at their feet. "Aren't you going to have a hard time going down the stairs?"

Kuawabara nodded. "And what about the jackets, your jackets won't look very good on your dresses."

"Baby brother, how man times have I invited you and Yukina to a dressy party?" Shizuru asked. She didn't let him answer. "You should know by now that we get matching dress coats." She walked over to the rack that usually held their jackets, but now held four black plastic bags. She carried them back and handed one to each girl, keeping one for herself.

In a few minutes they had their jackets on. Yukina was wearing a light blue coat that went a few inches lower than her dress. Shizuru was wearing a long black jacket with fur on the wide collar. Botan had a waist length light pink jacket with light blue decoration and lining styled like her chinese dress. Angela was wearing a knee length dark green coat with rose buttons.

"Well, at least three slightly frozen dates are better than none. Botan, why do you have a light jacket, I know it's almost spring, but it's still cold out there," Koenma said. Botan glared at him.

"Yeah, and you still haven't said anything about going down the stairs," Yusuke said again.

Angela laughed. "We thought that would be obvious. You guys are going to carry us down."

"What! Ah man, and I thought going to a ball was supposed to be fun." Yusuke scratched his head, "Well then, who's carrying who? I know Kuwabara will carry Yukina, but what about the rest of you?"

"Simple," Shizuru said. "We're going in pairs, though one man will be left out. Sorry Koenma."

"What? Why me?"

"Look at it this way, Yusuke, Kazuma, Kurama, and Hiei are the only men in this group that I can count on that won't drop one of us," Shizuru said. Koenma thought about it. Shizuru then went on to assign partners. "Now, Hiei you have Angela, since she'll be your date since you two are close to the same height, and Kurama you've got Botan. Yusuke would you be so kind to help me down the stairs?" Shizuru asked.

Yusuke nodded, looking resigned to his fate. Kurama and Hiei looked to each other, then to their dates. Botan was slightly turning pink while Angela was 'tickled pink' by the looks on the boys faces. She stuck out her arms as the others started to leave. "Well, date. Are you going to pick me up or just stare dumbfounded?"

Hiei picked her up. Carrying her bridal style he started walking down the long stair case, all the while thinking, _-This was a set up, I could tell by the sly looks Yusuke, Koenma and Shizuru passed to each other. Conniving...-_ He bad mouthed the trio all the way down the steps, though it wasn't because he was going with Angela, it was because of the way he got paired up with her, like it wasn't even his choice.

As the others left Kurama stared at Botan. "Ahem. I think it's time for dinner." Suzuka said, half smiling. "Come on guys." The DT gang left for the kitchen, leaving Kurama and Botan by themselves.

Botan blushed a little more. _-Why am I blushing so much? I mean this is Kurama we're talking about. It's not as if there's a handsom prince standing in front of me. Well...Kurama is handsom, but he's just a friend, right? But why is he looking at me that way?-_ Botan thought to herself, blushing even more.

Kurama watched Botan's face go redder. _-This was unexpected. I was sure Shizuru would have paired Yusuke with Botan. Why did she pair me with Botan? It's not that I don't want to be with Botan. In fact, I'm pleased to be with her.-_ Kurama's eyes slightly widened. _-What am I thinking? She's just a friend! Right?-_

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As Yusuke carried Shizuru, she looked up the steps. Seeing that only Kuwabara, carrying Yukina, and Koenma were in sight, she laughed. "Great plan Yusuke, Koenma!" she said.

"Uh, what plan?" Kuwabara asked.

Yusuke smiled. "Let's just say that me, Koenma and Shizuru are playing match maker. We knew that Hiei and Angela would never have willingly paired up, she's too shy and he's too stubborn and prideful. And Kurama needs to start a relationship, he's been a bachelor too long."

Koenma nodded. "And I have a feeling that Botan has a thing for him," he said.

Kuwabara thought for a second. "But I thought you liked Angela?" Kuwabara asked Yusuke.

A sad look came into Yusuke's eyes. He was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, but I don't think we were really meant for each other. I think she and Hiei are meant to be together. He needs her and I think she needs him."

Koenma spoke up, "But what about Mukuro? I thought that she..." Koenma then stopped when he became aware that Hiei and Angela had caught up with them.

"Who's Mukuro?" Angela asked. Everyone paused, unsure of what to say.

_-If were not careful, she may get the idea that Hiei's taken.-_ Yusuke worried.

Hiei glared at the others. _-What do I tell her now? If I say the wrong thing she'll think Mukuro and I are an 'item' like everyone says...Wait, why do I care what she thinks?- _Hiei thought for a moment, trying to decide what to say.

As he started to open his mouth, Kurama caught up with them, carrying a blushing Botan. "Why are we standing here?" Kurama asked. "I thought you wanted to get there early Shizuru?"

Shizuru looked at Yusuke's watch. "Holy shit! We need to move it!" Shizuru said. Hiei sighed inwardly as they started down the steps again.

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After they got off the train that they were forced to commute to get from the shrine to town they found a limo waiting for them.

"The company likes for it's employees to show up in style," Shizuru said as they piled into the limo.

Angela looked at Shizuru. "I've never asked but what do you do?"

"I'm an accountant for a company. Not the most exciting job but it pays good. Had to go back to school to land it, though," Shizuru said.

_-School...-_ Angela thought. What Shizuru said about going back to school reminded Angela of how much school she had missed. _-I've been here for about five months now, how long will I have to stay here? And has my double stayed in school, or has it dropped out? When I get back what will my life be like?-_ She was deep in thought as the others chatted around her.

The only one to notice her sad look was Hiei. _-She acts like she's adjusted well to her new life. But I know she still mourns her old life. I've seen her many times crying in her garden. Will she ever be truly happy?-_ Hiei thought.

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"Wow..." Angela said as the door man took their coats and purses. "The last time I saw this many formal dresses and tux's was at my junior and senior prom." She looked around and whistled. "Look at all the jewelry their wearing. Man, I've only seen this much gold and diamonds on the TV for the music and movie awards." Yusuke laughed at her wide eyes.

Shizuru shrugged. "The employees think of these parties as a way to show off their money." She shrugged again. "Time to go make pleasantries."

After Shizuru introduced them to the 'important' people, she let them off on their own as she went to dance with a tall dark haired man.

"Well, I guess I'll get some punch. Maybe we'll dance later," Angela said to Hiei. He 'hn'd, watching her head to the refreshment table.

Yusuke nudged him, "Just some advice," he whispered. "It pleases the girl very much to be asked to dance, instead of the other way around." He laughed as Hiei gave him a glare. Yusuke looked to Kurama to find he'd already asked Botan to dance.

Koenma came up to Yusuke. "I can tell that she's absolutely thrilled," he said.

Yusuke nodded. "Yep, and Kurama looks very pleased. I'd say that's a good match."

Hiei glared at Yusuke. "So it was set up," he accused.

Yusuke put his hand behind his head. "Well...I knew you'd never ask Angela, and Angela's too shy. And as for Kurama, well I think it'll do him good."

"And just what gave you the idea to pair me with Angela?"

Yusuke laughed. "C'mon Hiei, your transparent. We all can tell that you like Angela. Why don't you admit it?"

Hiei glared at him, then went to help Angela with the drinks.

"Man, he's stubborn," Koenma said. Yusuke nodded.

As Hiei helped Angela he thought about what Yusuke said. _-I'm transparent? I like Angela? Do I? Why do I ask myself these questions? How is it that everyone is so sure of how I feel for Angela?-_ He looked at Angela, remembering what he thought when she came into the training room. He had never thought about things like that before. He'd never been interested in women much, sure he'd had a few, but he'd never thought about them the way he thought about Angela. They were mostly one night stands, and he never really thought about their looks much. Yes, he was like any other man and was attracted to sexy women, but what he had just thought about Angela was more than a comment on her looks. He wasn't sure what all he meant when he thought about her being beautiful. As he had looked at her in the training room, he felt those confusing feelings rise in him again. As he looked at her now, those same feelings came back. He thought about what Yusuke said about asking the girl to dance. He looked at her eyes. The sadness he had seen in the limo was still there. He thought _-Why do I want to make her happy?-_

He cleared his voice as an energetic song started and asked "Do you want to dance?" He had seen her start to fidget when the song came on.

Angela looked closely at him. _-Did he just ask what I think he did?-_ It didn't take her long to say 'yes'. As they twirled across the floor, Angela's eyes lit up with happiness. Hiei's heart oddly lifted as he heard her laugh as he spun her around. They continued to dance the next two songs, another fast one then a slow one.

As they danced close Angela said, "One of my favorite things is to dance. Thank you." Hiei looked into her happy eyes, and Angela looked right back. She felt her heart skip a beat. _-Why do I feel like this for him? What if he doesn't feel the same? And what if he does? Why does he look at me that way? Does he know that my heart nearly melts when he looks at me this way? Am I brave enough to tell him? Am I brave enough to...- _she thought, staring into his eyes.

Hiei thought about what he felt for this woman. _-Is it love? Do I care for her? Is that what these feelings are? Why did my heart jump when she laughed happily? Is it possible...-_ As he stared into her emerald eyes he leaned close. As she stared into his eyes, Angela felt an intense emotion and followed her instinct and leaned towards him.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN-If you really like Angela, you're going to hate me by the end of this chapter.

REVISED AN: I was going through this story and BA and saw a BIG, I mean a HUGE inconsistency, a detail that some might have overlooked, I seriously fixed it so read closely.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Fourteen

Kurama and Botan danced to the same slow song that Hiei and Angela were dancing to. As they danced, each was in their own thoughts.

_-Why do I blush so much when I'm with him?-_ Botan thought to herself, blushing again. _-I didn't know I had felt like this for him. Is it because I never thought about how I felt about Kurama and the other guys? Did Angela's question make me aware of how I felt?-_

Kurama was equally confused about his feelings. _-Am I feeling this way because I actually like her, or is it just a 'bounce back' effect from realizing that I'll never have Angela? I've known Botan for so long. Did I develope feelings for her but had just passed it off as friendship?-_

They stayed in their thoughts for the whole song, afterwards they walked over to the refreshment table. Koenma came up to them. "Hey, we're leaving early. Yukina isn't feeling too well."

"All right," Kurama said. He turned to Botan to see a funny look in her eyes, as if she knew something about Yukina being sick. After Koenma left, Kurama leaned to Botan. "Alright, I see that look."

Botan looked at him, nervous. "Uh...What look?"

"The look that you usually get when you're hiding a secret," Kurama said. "What are you hiding?"

"Oohh, I can't tell! And don't ask me please?"

Kurama nodded, respecting her wishes. "Alright."

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Hiei leaned towards Angela, right hand coming up behind her head, left hand pushing on the small of her back. Their lips almost touched when a hand grabbed Hiei's shoulder from behind. It was Yusuke. He didn't see what was about to happen or else he would have waited, he had only seen Hiei's back. But he could guess that whatever he had interrupted he was going to die for it, if he was reading Hiei's glare correctly.

"Uh...I was just wanting to say that we're leaving. Yukina's feeling sick," he said hurridly.

Hiei's glare was quickly replaced with concern. He nodded and led a dazed Angela off of the dance floor, Yusuke following, sweating as he thought about what he had probably interrupted. _-Damn, I have bad timing. Was he just about to...At any rate, I have a feeling I'm gonna get it for interrupting, and not just from Hiei. Shizuru is gonna kill me when she finds out that I probably interrupted a rare chance for Hiei to show his feelings for Angela.-_

Angela followed Hiei, still dazed about what had almost happened. _-I was about to kiss him...Or was it the other way around?-_ She looked back at Yusuke and glared at him. _-But I'll never know now, dammit!-_

Yusuke saw her glare at him and once again feared for his life. _-Damn. I'm terrible at match maker. The moment it starts to work I mess it up.-_

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"You're all home early," Suzuka said as they walked into the training room. He smiled. "Did the guys stir up trouble and you all got kicked out?"

Shizuru shook her head. "No, we just had to leave before the clock struck twelve."

Suzuka looked at her oddly. "Why?"

Kurama smiled. "It's something from a Disney film," he explained.

"Yukina felt sick so we came home." Kuwabara said as he carried Yukina to their room.

Suzuka's eyes widened when he saw Hiei carry a sleeping Angela to her room. Kurama turned to Botan. "Well, I should be leaving," he said. "See you tomorrow." He said it more to Botan, even though it was meant for everyone.

Botan blushed. "Yeah, bye."

"Seeya," Koenma said.

Shizuru waved over her shoulder as she left to her room.

Koenma turned to Botan. "Do you want to stay here or are you okay to fly back to Spirit World?"

"I think it'd be best to stay here, I'm awfully tired," she lied. She wanted to stay near Yukina for awhile. And she also wanted to be here tomorrow.

Hiei laid Angela on her bed, she had fallen asleep on the train, leaning on his shoulder. She stirred slightly as he took off her coat and shoes.He looked at her peaceful face. _-She looks so innocent when she sleeps.-_ He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She stirred again and woke up, but Hiei was gone.

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The next three days flew by. Angela spent most of her time in her garden, thinking about Hiei and her feelings. She also spent time with Yukina and Botan. Shizuru was gone most of the day. The girls suspected that it had something to do with the tall dark haired man from the ball. Shizuru said his name was Drake, he was an executive from the branch in the US. Botan constantly talked about Kurama now, but that wasn't the only thing she talked about.

"So...Angela...tell me again what happened at the ball..." Botan said slyly as they did dishes.

Angela rolled her eyes. "No."

"Well, did Hiei really try to kiss you or was it you trying to kiss him before Yusuke interrupted?" Botan went on.

"I think it was both of us. And why do you keep going on about that?"

Yukina smiled. "I think it's sweet that you and Hiei like each other."

Angela looked at her. "You really think he likes me?" Botan and Yukina nodded. Angela looked out the window at the trees, thinking, a small smile forming on her lips. Botan and Yukina looked at each other and giggled.

"Oh Angela, I think you actually might be mooning over him," Botan teased.

Angela smiled at her. "And what about you, Ms. Talks-about-Kurama-all-day-long? Hm?"

Botan blushed. "Well...hehe."

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On the fourth day Botan was called back to Spirit World.

"What is it Koenma?" she asked as she walked into his office. He was in toddler form, staring at a stack of papers on his desk. He looked up and Botan could tell it was terrible news. "What happened?"

An hour later Botan sped back to the shrine. She found Angela in her garden. "Angela," she said sadly.

Angela looked at her. "What is it Botan?"

"I have to talk to you..."

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Saturday came quickly and the girls helped Yukina make a big feast. That evening everyone gathered around the table.

"Wowwee, what be the occassion for such a feast?" Jin asked, ears wiggling.

Kuwabara beamed, Yukina had told him about the pregnancy before dinner, wanting him to join her in telling the others. "Would everyone sit down please. Yukina and I have something to say." Everyone quieted down. Kuwabara took Yukina's hands and smiled at her. "We're having a baby," he said quietly, yet happily and proudly at the same time.

The effect was the same as if he had shouted it at the top of his lungs. Everyone was quiet for a second then everyone was congratulating them, cheering, clapping Kuwabara on the back and gently hugging Yukina. Hiei stayed out of the fray, not really knowing what to do. Angela saw him and dragged him to Kuwabara and Yukina.

"Uh...congratulations..." Hiei managed to get out, uncomfortable around his sister.

"Thanks Hiei," Kuwabara said, shaking his hand.

Angela hugged Yukina, "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you," Yukina said, feeling dizzy. "But I think I need to go lay down for a bit." She smiled apologetically at everyone. Kuwabara helped her to their room. Angela looked around to see that Hiei had left. She left to the woods to find him.

She found him in a tall tree that over looked the shrine. "Hiei?" she asked. He looked down at her. "Are you going to tell her yet? I'm sure she would love to know that her brother is happy for her, and will be there for her," she said, starting to climb up the tree. Hiei didn't say anything. When she reached the top she sat in front of him. "I can feel it. She wants her brother now more than ever. Why won't you tell her? You say that you've led a bloody life, but that was in the past. Think about the life you've been living now. It's not bloody or dishonorable. And I'm sure she won't care about your past, only that you're here now. Why can't you see that?" She was practically in tears when she finished.

Hiei stared at her, wondering _-Why does she care so much about this?-_

As Hiei stared at her, Angela started to cry, thinking _-He's so cruel. Why won't he tell her? Why can't he see the love Yukina could give him? He needs her as a sister as much as she needs a brother. Is he totally blind to love? Why does he keep pushing it away? Does he not realize how lucky he is to have her as a sister?- _

Hiei saw her cry, and it felt as if his heart broke. He reached over and wiped the tears off of her face. Angela only started to cry harder. Hiei was confused. He couldn't tell why she was so emotional about whether or not he told Yukina he was her brother. He pulled her close as she started to sob. _-What's wrong Angela? Why do you care so much?- _He wanted to ask her, but he had a feeling that now wasn't the right time. He held her for a long while until she cried herself to sleep. He took her to her room and tucked her into bed. This time she didn't look peaceful as she slept. Her face showed deep sadness and pain. _-What happened to make you this way?-_ He watched her for a few minutes before he left to walk through the forest, thinking about what just happened.

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Angela's moods were hectic the next two weeks. At one point she would be chatting happily with Yukina, Botan had left the day after the feast and hadn't returned, then at other times Hiei found her sobbing in her garden. And then again there were the times when she was snappy and waspish. Almost everyone found himself on the receiving end of her temper. Yukina and Shizuru were the only exceptions.

One day she walked into the training room to find all the guys talking. They instantly stopped talking when she walked in, which told her that they had been talking about her.

Suzuka, feeling brave since he was on the other side of the room, said. "I probably shouldn't ask this, but...are you menstruating?"

Angela turned back around and started walking out the door. "You're right, you shouldn't have asked," she said quietly.

Suzuka thought he was safe and would get away unscathed when Angela suddenly turned around, grabbed Shishi, in demon form and threw him across the room like a missile and hit Suzuka in the middle of the head, nocking both flat.

Jin shook his head. "Ya know, you deserved that one."

"Hmph," said an old voice from the front door. Everyone turned around and stared in shock.

Yusuke turned pale. "It can't be..."

A short old lady stood in the doorway. "Of course it can be, Dimwit," she said.

Botan flew in beside her. "Genkai's been allowed to come back temporarily to train Angela in Spirit power," she explained.

Genkai looked at Shishi. "Pretty powerful kid." Genkai looked at the stunned Yusuke. "So where is she?"

"She went to her room," Hiei said from the side door. He had seen Angela run to the house addition, then had seen the fire energy ball that she had thrown behind her go back into the training room. He was a little surprised to see Genkai, but he was more concerned with Angela.

Genkai nodded, "Botan, will you show me?" she asked Botan.

"Yes."

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Angela sat on the floor in her room, going through a chest filled with photos that Botan had brought her. She pulled out a picture of her, her parents, her aunt, uncle, two cousins, and her grandparents. She looked at it for a long while, then held it close as she cried silently.

"It's not good to carry all this pain by yourself," an old voice said behind her. She turned around. An old lady stood near the closed door. "There are people down there that will help you. You don't need to bear this by yourself," the old lady continued as she knelt by Angela. "They wouldn't want you to tear yourself up like this," she said softly, pointing to the picture.

Angela started to sob, choking out "It hurts so much."

The old lady reached out and held her. "There there," she said like a grandma. "Let it out, just let it out." Angela started to cry harder. She followed the old lady's advice and let her pain and sorrow come out. She screamed her sadness and pain.

Everyone in the shrine heard her screams and felt her pain and sorrow as she transmited through her psychic power of empathy. Botan hung her head.

Kurama saw and asked, "Botan, what happened?"

Botan looked up, tears streaming down her face. "A few days before the feast, Koenma called me up to his office...He told me that in a span of two weeks...Angela's entire family..." Botan paused as another wave of pain and grief came from the house. "...They were all killed. The humans will think that they all died from normal things like accidents, old age, disease and the like. But they weren't..." Another scream and another wave of sadness. "Those damn shadow creatures killed them! Everyone of her kin. From the oldest grandparent to the youngest infant," Botan said, crying. "Angela is truly the last of her kind." Kurama hugged her. "I came back that day and told her. I didn't want to, but Koenma said that she needed to know."

Everyone stood there, understanding now why Angela had been acting so strangely. Hiei looked towards the house. _-Why couldn't you tell one of us? Why couldn't you tell me?-_ After awhile the waves of pain and sadness stopped.

"Genkai was also brought back to help Angela through this. Koenma thought that she would need a mother or grandmother figure. Someone she could look to for guidence. He noticed how she wasn't telling any of you, not even Yukina or Shizuru. He thought that maybe she would open up to Genkai," Botan explained. Everyone stood there in silence, wondering how they could help Angela.

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The old woman held the girl, rocking her gently, until she had stopped crying. "Come, I think it's time you let the others help you through this," she said.

Angela looked at her, asking "Who are you?"

"I'm Genkai, I was brought back to help you. Now, let's go talk to the others."

Genkai led the girl into the training room. Yukina, who had come into the training room when Angela started to transmit her pent up feelings, and Botan ran to her and hugged her tightly. Angela started to cry again. They stayed like that for several minutes, Botan and Yukina crying with Angela. Finally the trio stopped and Yukina and Botan let go of Angela. Kurama came and hugged her while Kuwabara patted her shoulder in comfort.

When they let her go Yusuke walked up to her, and held her close, saying softly "I know we can never replace your family, but we want you to know that we consider you family and we want you to consider us as family. You know that we'll always be here. You can count on us. We want you to be happy. So what do you say?" He looked at her face and saw she had started to cry again. She nodded. He held her close again. "Hey, remember what you told me about the stars and how whenever you looked at them you felt that you were with your family." She nodded again, crying even more. "Well you can still look at the stars and you'll still be with your family, cuz they're up there, watching you, looking after you. They'll always be with you," he whispered as he held her tightly and started to cry with her. _-They're with her, just like you're with me Keiko.-_

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That night Hiei snuck into Angela's room. Her face still showed sadness. He knelt bedside her and put his hand on her forehead. He closed his eyes and his jagan started to glow under the bandana. After several minutes he stood up and looked at her face. It now looked peaceful. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. _-Have sweet dreams, Angela,- _Hiei thought as he left her room. Angela smiled in her sleep.

**_/She walked through a park filled with all of her relatives. She stopped and chatted with a group of her distant cousins. They talked for several hours before she moved to a group of great great grandparents. She talked to several groups of distant relatives on the outer limits of the park for several hours./_**

She woke up just before she started to talk to a group of great great aunts and uncles. She stretched, feeling very restfull. She looked to the chest full of pictures that Botan had brought her so that she had something of her family. She thought about the dream. _-It was like I was really talking to them. It was peaceful and wonderful.-_ She smiled sadly. _-Though it's probably my imagination that's giving them life. But still, it was a nice dream.-_ She thought about what happened yesterday and about what Yusuke had said. _-Genkai was right, there are people here who want to help me and they're my family now.-_ She looked at the sky through her window. _-And Yusuke's right. All I have to do is look at the sky and stars to know that my family is there, that they're watching over me like guardian Angels.- _Angela started to cry.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Fifteen.

Genkai and Yusuke walked through the woods, not talking. They reached the tree that had been infested by Tree-Eater demons.

"Hm...It looks like it's had a rough time," Genkai commented.

"Yeah, two parasites latched onto it and started to feed off of it, turning into demons as they fed. Me, Kurama and Angela defeated them, and Angela was given the task to heal it," Yusuke explained, half distracted.

Genkai inspected the tree. "She's pretty good." Yusuke was quiet for a while. "I hear the tree wasn't the only thing that's had it rough," Genkai said quietly. Yusuke kept up his silence. "I'm sorry Yusuke. I didn't mean to leave you all like that, I didn't mean to leave you when you needed me the most," Genkai continued to look at the tree. "I was old. I was old when I first met you." Yusuke looked away from his mentor. She continued "Remember why I had that tournament to decide who would inherit the Spirit Wave technique. I hadn't expected to live much longer. It surprised me that I had lived as long as I had when I died."

Yusuke opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. They stayed in silence for a long time. Finally Yusuke found his voice. "I had come to think of you as a grandma, you had been there for me for so long. You had been there for me when Keiko had died. I knew you wouldn't be around forever, but I wasn't ready. You died too soon after Keiko. I couldn't really take it. I left and went and trained in Demon World. There I was able to forget, but after awhile I realized that I couldn't run from the truth about what happened forever. I came back. I acted like I had gotten over it, but I guess I did the same thing as Angela and hid my pain."

"Hm, Dimwit," she said affectionately. "You didn't do a good job. Everyone could see it." Yusuke shrugged. Genkai stared at the tree a little longer. "Well, time to teach Angela," she said, shrugging. She looked at Yusuke. "I hope she's not like what you were, a punk who had a problem with authority."

Yusuke laughed. "I hear she's easy to teach, she's mastered every element within a few weeks."

Genkai laughed. "Spirit energy will be harder to master. I hope she's easier to teach than you."

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That afternoon Genkai closed off the training room for her and Angela.

"I hear that you've been taught to meditate. I also hear that you've been able to find your elemental power by finding it first in something around you," Genkai said. She then gave the girl a hard look. "But you can't do that with Spirit energy. Everyone's spirit energy is unique from the rest of the world. Take as an example the way it materializes into an attack for everyone. Yusuke's spirit energy comes out as a bullet that he fires from his hand like a gun. Kuwabara's is a sword. I'm sure you heard about Sensui."

Angela nodded, "A little."

"Well his spirit energy came out as a ball that he kicked. You see, everyone has a different type of spirit energy, so you won't be able to find a 'feeling' that you can identify within yourself. You need to find your spirit energy on your own. Now, lets get started," Genkai said as she sat down in the middle of the room.

They meditated for what seemed like forever. Angela constantly looked within herself, looking for a power that wasn't earth, wind, fire or water. She thought that she had found it several times, but it wasn't it. Finally at dinner time, Genkai called it quits, saying "We'll start early tomorrow."

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That night Angela had the dream about her relatives.

_**/She started to talk to the group of great great aunts and uncles. After learning all about them she moved on to a group of fifth cousins. After several hours of talking with various groups of distant relatives, she began to see a pattern. Everyone she talked to was related to her by blood. No one had been related to her by marriage. -Odd- she thought. She also found out that she had alot of distant relatives./**_

She woke up again, feeling like she had gotten to know her family more. _-Are these dreams visions?-_ She shrugged. She didn't care, it comforted her. It gave her a feeling that they were really there. "Well, time to go to work."

She and Genkai trained all day long. Angela managed to catch a glimpse of her spirit power, but she couldn't get a grasp on it. Genkai nodded as they went to get dinner. "They said you were a quick learner. At this rate it will take about a month, maybe a little more."

The next two weeks Angela would meditate all day long, learning how to find her spirit power and slowly control it to the point that she could materialize it in her hands as a small shining spikey ball, like a star. Each night she would dream of her family, slowly making her way to her parents.

The day Angela thougth she was going to dream about her parents Genkai let her off for the day. She went to her garden. When she got there, she found two figures standing in the middle of her garden. Angela slowly walked up to them, her eyes wide.

"But, how?" she asked the man and woman.

The man had sandy hair, a weathered brown face, and twinkling gray eyes. The woman had pale blonde hair with hints of gray pulled up into a loose bun, her green eyes sparkling at Angela. Both wore gentle smiles.

"We were allowed to speak to you one last time," the man said.

"Why...why...?" Angela asked, in a daze.

"We were given special permission to see you in the waking world instead of your dreams," the woman said. Opening her arms, she said "Come here, baby."

Angela ran to her and hugged her tightly as she started to cry. "There's so much I want to tell you, Mommy, Daddy," she cried as her mother patted her head.

"Shh shh," her mother whispered. "We know."

"We're so proud of you. We want you to know that we love you so much," her father said as he patted her back. Angela cried into her mother's arms.

They stayed like that for awhile, reminiscing over the good times in their lives, how Angela would wear her bathing suit as a child with her small blanket tied around her neck and how her dad would carry her on his shoulders as she opened her arms and made believe that she was a super hero, of the time they took her to Disney world and how she insisted on riding the baby rides over and over, of her first day to kindergarten. They talked about her first day to junior high, about the song she sang in the talent show, about her first dance and how she dressed up in a pink dress and how her mother curled her hair into ringlets. They talked about her first day in high school, her first time driving, how she accidentaly ran the car into the garage door, her first boyfriend, her sixteenth birthday, her slumber parties with her best friends, her first prom where her mother cried about how her baby was growing up. They then talked about her first time to college.

"Remember when you called me in tears, crying to be with us?" her father asked, smiling. "Remember what I said about the stars?" Angela nodded, starting to cry again. "Keep looking at them, we'll be there, watching our baby girl. We love you dearly, you've made us proud." He and her mother started to fade.

"No! Don't go!" Angela cried.

Her father held her tightly. "Remember, you're our baby girl." His voice faded as they disappeared.

Angela fell down, sobbing. _-Is this punishment? Why did you give them back again then rip them away!-_ she asked the sky.

Hiei saw her sob on the ground from where he had hidden in the trees to watch over her. He couldn't take it. He jumped down in front of her. "Angela," he said as he knelt beside her.

Angela looked at him, still sobbing. "Why were they taken from me? And why were they given back to me only to be taken away again?"

Hiei took her into his arms, rocking her as she cried. "Koenma and I thought this would do you good. We thought that knowing your family would help ease the pain. We wanted to give you the last chance to see your family and know that they love you."

Angela cried, "I don't think I can take it, I don't think I can go on."

Hiei held her tighter. "Don't say that, your family wants you to live. They don't want you to die, they know it's not your time, you have to live for them. And what about us? Think about what your death would do to us. You still have family, remember. We're your family too."

Angela slowly stopped crying. She looked at Hiei. Hiei stared into her teary eyes. He leaned in and softly kissed her. Angela pulled back, surprised. Hiei stopped, surprised himself. He got up and pulled her up with him, saying "We should probably go back to the others."

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That night Hiei walked through the forest, thinking about the kiss. _-Maybe Kurama and the rest are right. Maybe I do like Angela. I care about what she thinks, I want to protect her, I want to see her happy, and I want to comfort her when she's sad. Do I love her? That's the question. And if I do, do I want to make it known? I lead a dangerous life, despite what she thinks. I'm only here to protect her and train her. She doesn't realize this isn't what I normally do. If I did tell her I love her and she said the same thing, she'd be in twice the danger. There are demons that would do anything to get at me, and if they found out about Angela they would attack her to get at me.-_ He thought long and hard. _-I can't tell her or anyone. Once this mission is over, I'll leave forever.-_

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The next three weeks Angela was practically put through the ringer. Genkai trained her hard and long in the ways to use her spirit energy. They discovered that she could use it several ways. She could turn it into a bomb, make a barrier, blast it from her palms, and several other things. After she trained all day, they would eat then go to bed. She no longer had the dreams about her relatives, but she was glad to know that they hadn't been made up by her imagination. Knowing that she had really been talking to them made her happy. The next day she would wake up early to start training again. It became routine so when she entered the training room one day she was surprised to hear Genkai say that they weren't training.

"Do I have another day off?" she asked.

Genkai shook her head sadly. "No. Your training is done."

Angela saw the sad look in her eyes. She then noticed Yusuke sitting in the hollow area. "You're leaving. Aren't you?" Angela asked, starting to feel sad. Through the past five weeks she had come to think of the old lady as a grandmother, despite the harsh training. She had hoped maybe the old lady would stay after training her, but she knew deep down that Genkai couldn't stay. She went and hugged the old lady. "I'll miss you," she said.

Genkai nodded. "I'll miss you too."

Angela looked at the sad Yusuke. She walked out of the room, looking back for the last time on the old lady.

"Yusuke, I'm sorry. But we both knew I couldn't stay," Genkai said, not looking at her old pupil that she had come to consider as her grandson.

Yusuke nodded. "Hm...at least this time I'm ready for it."

Genkai walked to the front door where Botan was waiting. "Well, Dimwit, take care of yourself and the others." She turned around once more to say something. "Keiko told me to tell you that she is there and she does look after you."

Yusuke smiled. "Somehow, I already knew the answer. Seeya Grandma."

Genkai shook her head. "Not for a long time."

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"So...Have you asked him yet?" Angela asked Botan a few days later as they walked through town, window shopping.

"Asked who what?" Botan asked back, trying to look innocent.

Angela laughed. "You know what I'm talking about. You've been hanging out with Kurama for the past five weeks. You're practically a couple."

Botan blushed. "Er...well..."

Angela sighed "Just ask him out already."

Botan spluttered for a few seconds. Finally she came back with a reply. "Well...what about you?"

Angela looked at her, confused. "What about me?"

"Why don't you ask Hiei out? We all know that you two are in love," Botan said, smiling.

"You think he feels that way? I mean, I know I probably feel that way."

Botan gave an exasperated noise. "Probably? Angela you've got it bad for Hiei. And Hiei's got it bad for you."

"Why do you say that?" Angela asked.

"Well, look at how he treats you. He's never like that with anyone. With the exception of Yukina."

"What about this Mukuro? I remember hearing Koenma say something about her."

"Mukuro was a king of Demon World and had asked Hiei to help her take control of Demon World when Raizen died," Kurama said, coming up behind them. Botan let out a sigh, she didn't know what she was going to say to Angela. "But when Yusuke thought up the demon tournament and when Hiei and Mukuro lost they became part of the border patrol. Mukuro's captain and Hiei's her second. It was long thought that they were lovers but I don't think they are." He smiled. "So what are you two doing here?" he asked smoothly, changing the subject from Mukuro to them.

"Oh, we're window shopping. You?" Angela asked, half paying attention as she thought about what Kurama said. _-'It was long thought that they were lovers'? Is it true? Or is what Kurama thinks true? I'll have to ask Hiei directly.- _

"...So do you want to come over?" Kurama was asking. Botan blushed.

Angela, taking advantage, nodded. "Sure, I've wanted to see where you live. We would love to come over, wouldn't we Botan." Botan blushed some more.

Kurama smiled. _-I know she only caught half of what I said. I'm certain she was thinking about the possibility of Mukuro and Hiei being together. I tried to tell her other wise, but I bet she won't bleieve it until she talks to Hiei.- _Kurama thought, leading the girls to his apartment. He looked at Botan. _-I know I used to care for Angela, but now I think I'm starting to care for Botan. Should I talk to her about it?-_

In Kurama's apartment Angela found something akin to a green house. There were so many plants. "Wow, they're beautiful!" Botan said. Angela nodded.

Kurama showed them through the apartment. The whole apartment had plants growing every where. "It's like a tropical forest," Angela said. She paused to look in a room dedicated to roses. Inside she found red roses, yellow roses, pink roses and her favorite, blue roses. As she turned to exit, something in the corner caught her attention. On a pedestal was an ornate box. Wondering what was inside, _-Probably seeds,-_ she opened it. Out poured smoke. Surprised, she quickly shut the box. But it was too late, she had inhaled most of the smoke that had poured out. She began to feel funny. She looked around, her mind feeling fuzzy. The room around her started to grow bigger...


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN: I can't remember the fruit's name that the smoke in the Idun box comes from so I'll call it the Idun fruit for now, until I can find it on the web.

REVISED AN: Okay, I was doing an Angel Time Line and found out that I made a mistake in my calculations. I've adjusted some details to make it fit in the time line.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Sixteen

Kurama turned around to show the girls pictures of his family. His eyes widened. Botan was there, but Angela wasn't. "Where did Angela go?" he asked Botan.

She looked around. "I didn't know she had left."

They jumped when they heard a squeal. It was coming from the rose room. "Oh no..." Kurama said, dread in his voice as he ran to the rose room. He moaned.

Inside was a little girl with long pale blonde hair and bright green eyes in nothing but a large sweater. On the floor around her were jeans, shoes, socks, panties and a tongue ring. She was sucking on her finger, tears coming out of her eyes.

Botan peered around Kurama. "Who's she?" she asked.

"I think it's Angela." Kurama bent down towards the little girl. "What's your name?"

She shook her head. "I'm not s'possed to talk to strwangers."

Kurama looked to Botan. She shrugged. Kurama stuck out his hand. "Well my name is Kurama."

The girl looked at the hand, she shrugged and put her hand in his. "I'm Angela Marwie Rwoss."

Kurama gently shook her hand. "Well, it's nice to meet you Angela. How old are you?"

"This many," she said, holding up four fingers.

Botan stared at the child. _-Oh my...-_

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Kurama stayed with Angela as Botan went shopping for some clothes. She came back with a bag of panties, a pair of socks, small white shoes and a little green dress.

"I hope they fit," she said as she took Angela into a different room to change her. After a few minutes, Botan and Angela came back into the living room.

Angela looked absolutely cute as she twirled around. "See Uncle Rama," she giggled.

"I see," Kurama said, not sure if he liked Angela calling him uncle. _-I wonder what the others are going to say,-_ he thought. He bent down and picked the little girl up. "We're going to go to a friend's house. Is that okay?" Angela thought about it for a second, then she nodded.

As they walked through town to the shrine, Angela whinned about wanting an ice cream. Finally Kurama gave in and bought her a small ice cream in an edible cone. After she gobbled the ice cream down she fell asleep.

Botan looked at the child. "Oh dear...What will we do?"

Kurama shook his head. "I don't know. I'll have to talk to Suzuka. It was the Idun box that did this. Maybe he has an antidote."

"If it was the Idun box, shouldn't she have turned back into her normal self by now?" Botan asked.

"I think it works differently on humans than it does on demons," Kurama said as they walked up the stairs.

Yusuke was sitting on the front porch smoking when he saw Kurama and Botan come up the steps, Kurama carrying a small blonde child. "Hey, who's the little girl? And where's Angela?" he asked softly, not wanting to wake the child.

Kurama grimaced. "This is Angela. She got a hold of the Idun box." Yusuke's eyes widened. "I'll explain when we get inside and get everyone together."

They walked into the training room where the DT gang and Hiei were training. They stopped when they saw the child Kurama was holding. "Who's the kid?" Jin asked.

"Angela," Kurama replied. Everyone's eyes widened.

While they stood there stupified Angela woke up. She looked around her at all of the strange people until her eyes fell upon a small blue cat on the shoulder of a blonde man. "Kitty!" she squealed, wiggling in Kurama's arms. A terrified look came over Shishi's face as the child tried to get out of Kurama's arms.

Suzuka walked over to Kurama and the child, who stretched out her arms to Shishi. "Let me guess, she opened the Idun box," Suzuka said as he handed Shishi to the squealing child. Shishi squeeked and tried to get away, but Angela held on tight to him.

Kurama nodded as he sat Angela on the floor. "Do you have an antidote?"

Suzuka shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

They all watched her as she played with the 'kitty'. Jin whispered to Yusuke. "Why does she think he's a kitty?"

Yusuke shrugged, "Maybe he looks like a cat to her child eyes. What's got me is why she can talk japanese and understand what we say. Does she still have a Tongues-Ring, and a Hear-Ring?"

"No, I've been trying to figure that out myself," Kurama said.

Suzuka thought for a second. "Maybe while she reverted to her child self the 'magic' of the Tongues-Ring and Hear-Rings rubbed off on her."

Kurama shrugged "Who knows."

After nearly strangling Shishi she looked at everyone around her again. "Who are you?"

Suzuka leaned forward. "I'm Suzuka."

"Ol' Jin here," Jin said, sitting next to her, ears wiggling as he looked at the exhausted Shishi.

"I'm Touya," Touya said.

"And I'm Rinku," Rinku said, smiling big.

"My name's Chu," Chu said, quickly hiding his booze.

"Yusuke," Yusuke said.

Angela nodded at them all. Then she looked at Hiei, who just stared at her. She got up and walked over to him. "Who are you?"

Hiei bent down. "Hiei."

"Did you hurt your head?"

Hiei thought for a second. "Yes."

"I'm sorwy," she apologized. She turned around to Suzuka. "Aunt Suzi? What's your kitty's name?"

The other guys started to chuckle. Suzuka didn't know what to say. _-Did she just call me 'Aunt Suzi'?-_ "Uh...Shishi..."

"Sisi?" she asked.

"Uh...yeah."

Shishi started to growl, but Angela hit him on the head. "Bad Sisi!" The others laughed. "Uncle Hiei? Do you like kitties?" She held Shishi up to him.

Shishi looked pleadingly at him. Hiei laughed. "Yes, let me see..." She handed Shishi to him, Hiei held Shishi loosely. Shishi, finding a chance to get away, launched into the air and flew away.

Angela gasped. "Kitty flew!" The others laughed again.

Hiei looked down at the child that had been the woman he was falling in love with. _-Why did this have to happen? Will you stay like this? Will I have to wait until you grow up again? Or will I have to be your 'uncle' forever, with no hope of being your...-_ Hiei shook those thoughts from his head. He heard a small grumbling. He looked down at Angela.

She blushed and laughed as she held her stomach. "My tummy's talking."

Kurama, standing near, heard her. "Well, I think it's dinner time." He picked her up.

Botan watched Kurama carry Angela to the kitchen. _-He'd make a good father...Wait! Why am I thinking this way!-_

"What?" they heard Kuwabara yell from the kitchen.

A squealing Angela ran back into the training room and hugged Hiei's leg. Hiei looked down at the crying child. He paused for an instant, then he bent down and picked her up. "What's wrong?"

Angela hiccuped. "The scary man yelled."

"I take it you met Kuwabara," Yusuke laughed.

In a second, Kuwabara entered the training room. Angela squealed and buried her head in Hiei's shoulder. Hiei glared at Kuwabara. "Look, I'm sorry Angela," Kuwabara said, taken aback by Hiei's glare. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just surprised."

She glanced at him then buried her head back into Hiei's shoulder. Hiei walked to the kitchen. In there he found an astonished Yukina talking to Kurama.

"Will she ever be able to return to normal?" she asked.

Kurama shook his head. "Not on her own. Suzuka and I will try to create an antidote with various plants, since the smoke of the Idun box came from a fruit, but I don't know how long that will take." He turned to see Hiei standing there holding Angela. A dark look was in Hiei's eyes. _-How hard is it for you to see the one you love like this?-_ Kurama thought, pity in his eyes.

"She's a cute li'l sheila." Chu said as they talked about what had happened to Angela.

"Yes but that's not important. We need to find some way to cure her," Suzuka said as Shishi, in human form, walked in.

"Hey Kitty," Jin teased, "Or is it Sisi?" Shishi glared at him.

"Back to the discussion," Suzuka said. "We're lucky that it didn't regress her any further."

Yusuke laughed. "Yeah, we could have been stuck with Angela in the 'terrible twos'."

Suzuka glared at him. "If she had taken anymore, she might have been regressed into nothing." That shut all the jokes up.

Kurama walked in. "Angela's been put to bed. Suzuka, I think we should go to my place to try to cook up an antidote." Suzuka nodded.

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The next day Yusuke was sitting on the porch looking at the pond when he heard Angela squealing again. He looked to the house addition to see Shizuru grab a soapy Angela in a towel and take her back inside. He laughed. _-And I thought she was a handfull before this.-_

Suzuka came out of the training room. "Hey Yusuke, Kurama and I couldn't create an antidote with his plants so I and the rest of the DT gang are leaving for Demon World to look for plants there. Kurama has to stay since he still has classes."

Yusuke nodded, "Good luck."

Suzuka looked to the house where they could hear squealing. "I think you're going to need the luck more."

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"Uncle Hiei? Why are you so quiet? You look sad," Angela said later that day as she sat by him on the porch, wearing her new yellow dress that Yukina and Botan had bought. They had gone shopping that morning for clothes for Angela.

Hiei looked at her. "Well, it's just that a woman I...liked...is gone."

Angela thought about what he said, then she hugged him. "Well I'm here!" she said happily.

Kuwabara laughed, "Hiei, I think she likes you."

Angela saw him and crawled into Hiei's lap. He gasped as she sat down hard in his lap. Ignoring his gasp, she hid her face against his chest.

"Eh...I didn't mean to scare you yesterday," Kuwabara tried again. Again Angela glanced at him. He held out his hand. "My name is Kuwabara."

She looked at the hand for a moment, deciding. Finally she took it. "I'm Angela Marwie Rwoss."

Kuwabara looked at Hiei's pained face and took pity on him. "Why don't we go to the kitchen, Aunt Yukina is making lunch." Angela nodded and jumped out of Hiei's lap. She took a hold of Kuwabara's hand and skipped along side him to the kitchen. Hiei grabbed his crotch and gasped.

"Ouch," Yusuke said, coming onto the porch wincing along with Hiei. "That looked like it hurt." Hiei glared at him. "I see that she's made up with Kuwabara," Yusuke commented. He looked at Hiei, who had recovered. "She's a handle. I miss the old Angela. You?" Hiei just stared at the woods, eyes dark with some type of emotion. "Hiei, I'm sure they'll find a cure."

Hiei didn't say anything. He stood up and walked into the forest. Yusuke sat there thinking. He turned when he heard a pitter patter of running feet. Angela ran and jumped into his lap. Yusuke was luckier than Hiei and wasn't injured. "Guess what!" she squeaked.

"What?" he asked, smiling.

"Aunt Kina is having a baby!"

"That's great!" Yusuke replied, acting surprised.

She got up and started to pull his hand. "Let's go tell everwy one!" Yusuke got up and swept up the squealing Angela into his arms as they walked into the training room. "Where is everwy one?" she asked when she noticed only Botan and Kurama there.

"Well, Uncle Chu, Uncle Jin, Uncle Touya, Aunt Suzi, and Rinku had to leave," Yusuke said.

"Oh." She started to wiggle. Yusuke sat her down on the floor and she ran to Kurama and Botan. "Guess what!" she squealed again. She didn't give them time to answer. "Aunt Kina is having a baby!"

Kurama picked the child up. "That's great! Thank you for telling us," Kurama said, smiling. Angela giggled at being thanked.

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The next week went by fast. Angela kept them all on their toes. She constantly ran from one person to another, talking about nonsense, and when she wasn't running to somebody, she just ran to be running. When ever she saw Hiei, she was practically attached to him. Everyone smiled when ever they saw them together. Kuwabara watched them as they sat by the pond, Hiei keeping a vigilant eye on Angela as she played in the water. _-Hiei would be a good father. He would definately be a good uncle, if only he would tell Yukina.-_ Kuwabara thought as he turned around to tell Shizuru to get a towel ready.

Hiei watched Kuwabara go inside with a smile on his face. _-Why do they all get these smiles on their faces when they see me taking care of Angela?-_ he thought. Angela squealed as she made a big splash, bringing Hiei's attention back to her. He smiled at her antics.

After a bit, Shizuru came out, holding a towel. "Angela, it's time for your bath."

Angela instantly latched onto Hiei. "Nooo," she said. Shizuru rolled her eyes.

Hiei laughed and said "Angela, if you go take a bath, I'll read you your book later."

She thought about it. "Okay." She still was reluctent to go take a bath.

Kurama walked up behind him as he watched Shizuru carry Angela to the house. "Hiei," he said quietly. Hiei turned to him. "Suzuka and the others have returned last night with several plants from Demon World. Suzuka and I have been working on an antidote, but Suzuka doesn't have much hope." Hiei's eyes darkened. "I just wanted you to know," Kurama said then he left.

Hiei sat there for awhile thinking. _-So I might have to wait for her to grow up after all. Hn...maybe I was never meant to be with her...-_

Angela ran to the training room, but she saw Suzuka, Jin and Shishi, in demon form. "Aunt Suzi! Aunt Suzi! Uncle Jin! Uncle Jin!" she cried as she ran to them. Jin bent down and picked her up. "Guess what!"

"What?" Jin said.

"Uncle Hiei's going to read to me!" She saw Shishi sitting on Suzuka's shoulder. She reached out to Shishi. "Come here Sisi!" Shishi looked about ready to split, but Suzuka grabbed him and handed him to Angela. She squealed and hugged Shishi tight. She then started to wiggle in Jin's arms, indicating that she wanted down. She ran inside the training room to find Hiei sitting in the little hollow area. "Uncle Hiei!" she said as she ran to sit beside him.

"Are you ready?" he asked, holding up a little picture book. She nodded and sat in his lap.

He was half way through when she fell asleep. Hiei looked at the child sleeping in his arms. A feeling of tenderness and protection came over him. He gently picked her up and carried her to her room. She woke up slightly as he tucked her in. "Unn...You didn't finish the story..." she complained.

Hiei smiled. "I'll finish it tomorrow, okay." She nodded and yawned, then she fell back to sleep.

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The next day as Hiei read to Angela, who was squeezing a poor Shishi, a person came into the shrine. Angela turned to the strange woman with orange hair, dressed in weird clothes. She crawled over Hiei's lap, causing him to gasp. As she crawled to the woman, Hiei ran out the side door, hunched over. "Who are you?" she asked the woman.

The woman bent down. "I'm Mukuro. Are you Angela?" Angela nodded.

She pointed to the odd mask that covered Mukuro's right half of her face. "What happened?" she asked innocently.

Mukuro thought for a second. "I got hurt."

"Does it still hurt?"

"No," Mukuro said, smiling reassuringly.

"That's good," the smale child said, smiling. Hiei returned. Angela ran to him, grabbed his hand and pulled him over to Mukuro. "Uncle Hiei, this is Aunt Kuro."

Hiei nodded to Mukuro. **_-I heard about what happened from Suzuka when they returned to find some plants,-_** Mukuro said telepathically to Hiei.**_ -I don't think they'll be able to create an antidote. But there still may be an antidote somewhere. I'm here to bring you and some of the DT gang back to Demon World.-_**

Hiei looked to Angela, "Why don't you go and get Aunt Suzi and Uncle Touya," he said. He really didn't want to leave her but he had no choice if he wanted to cure her. She nodded and ran out.

Mukuro watched Hiei closely as he watched Angela run out of the room. _-It's seems like he's a totally different person from the one I had sent on this mission. Is this girl the reason for the changes?-_ Mukuro thought.

A few minutes later Suzuka and Touya showed up. Their eyes widened when they saw the captain of the border patrol. "We're leaving for Demon World to find a cure," Mukuro ordered them. "I think Shigure may have known something about the Idun fruit, so we're going to his labratory, the one he had when he was with me and the one he had before he joined me." She turned around to leave, the others following.

Suddenly a squealing Angela latched onto Hiei's leg. Hiei looked down to see her crying. "What's the matter?" he asked softly as he picked her up. Mukuro watched him closely.

"You're going away! Aren't you?" she cried. She had heard Mukuro say they were leaving.

Hiei held her. "It's okay," he said, trying to reassure her.

"You're neverw coming back! You'rwe leaving cuz I've been bad!" She continued to cry.

Hiei laughed and held her close. "I'll be back. And you haven't been a bad girl."

"How do I know you'll come back?" she asked, still slightly crying.

Hiei thought about it. He sat her on the ground and took off his cloak. He wrapped it around the child. "Here, I'll leave this with you to show that I'll come back. I guarantee it."

"What's guarwantee?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of his cloak.

"It means I really promise. Now, can you keep my cloak clean until I come back?"

She nodded. "I guarwantee it," she said, using her new word.

Hiei nodded and hugged her one last time. Mukuro smiled as she saw this sign of affection. _-She has changed him. For the better I'd say.-_ Hiei turned around and saw Mukuro smiling. He gave her a questioning glance. She shook her head, saying "Well, let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back."

Hiei saw Shishi hiding in Suzuka's clothes. **_-Shishi, stay with Angela,-_** he ordered.

Shishi peeked out of Suzuka's shirt, a terrified look on his face. Hiei glared at him. Shishi nodded meekly and flew to Angela, who immediately caught him as she watched them go, tears coming out of her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Seventeen

Once they arrived in Demon World, the group split up.

"Touya and I will check Shigure's labratory in the castle," Suzuka said.

Mukuro nodded. "Then Hiei and I will check his hut in the forest."

They started to run in different directions. After several days of running, Hiei and Mukuro arrived at a hut deep in a forest. "Well, now the hard part begins," Mukuro said.

They entered the hut to find dust and cobwebs hanging everywhere, a surgical table, and several shelves with jars filled with odd things, several old books, and many manuscripts.

"Where do you want to start?" Hiei asked.

"How about the manuscripts. That seems the most likely place he would write down notes about the Idun fruit," Mukuro said.

They then gathered all the manuscripts and proceded to look through them. It took two days before they had looked through the whole stack of manuscripts, not finding anything. Hiei was getting frustrated.

Mukuro studied him as they started on the old books. "You know Hiei. This woman has changed you, both as a woman and as a child," Mukuro said after awhile.

Hiei looked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, you've never cared this much about anyone other than Yukina. When I sent you on this mission, you never would have come within ten feet of a child if you could help it. Now I see you comfort a child, telling her you'll be back, giving her your cloak. And now your trying to find an antidote for this woman. Before you met her you wouldn't have cared." She smiled. "You're in love with her aren't you?" He looked at the book he was reading, not answering. "Hiei, life is never a sure thing. You never know if tomorrow will come, for you or someone you love. Take a chance. I know why you wouldn't tell her. Now she's a child again. You can't be sure that we'll find a cure, and you can't be sure that you'll live long enough for her to grow up, or that she'll live long enough to grow up. You might have missed your chance at true love. And if we do find a cure, will you tell her, or will you risk loosing her by not telling her. A woman can't wait forever, sooner or later she'll give up and try to find happiness somewhere else."

Hiei looked at her, admitting "I didn't know for the longest time how I felt. And now that I do, I don't want to tell her, because it will put her at risk. I don't want her in danger because I told her. I'd rather she be happy with someone else, if it keeps her safe."

Mukuro shook her head. "Just think about what I said before you make a definate decision," she said as she went back to reading.

They were half way through the stack of books that they had gathered when Mukuro came upon a book with a chapter dedicated to the Idun plant and it's various uses. "I think I might have found it." She read further and found a list of antidotes to the Idun plant and it's uses. "Yes, this is it. Let's get Suzuka, Touya and the various plants needed and head back to Human World," she said.

Hiei paused. "Why are you doing this?"

Mukuro didn't turn around. "I'm not sure. Maybe I'm doing it because she's an Angel. Or maybe I'm doing it for a friend that needs her." She walked out of the hut.

Hiei thought about what she said, then thought about the numerous rumors about Mukuro and him being lovers. He thought about the confusing feelings he had towards her. He had been so busy with Angela and how he felt about her that he hadn't had time to think about Mukuro.

**_-Don't think about it Hiei. It doesn't matter,-_** Mukuro told him. Still, Hiei couldn't help feeling that he had betrayed Mukuro in some way.

When they met up with Suzuka, he looked at the list. "Hm, I'd never would have thought that those plants would be antidotes. And I surely didn't think about dosages," he said.

Touya looked at him. "By the way, how were you able to tell if what you cooked up didn't work as an antidote?"

Suzuka looked at him. "We used it on Kurama, since we knew he'd transform back to his normal self with out an antidote."

Mukuro started to walk away. Hiei turned to her. "Where are you going?"

"I need to oversee the rest of the border patrol," she said as she started to run to the castle. _-I'm happy for you Hiei. Please make the right choice,-_ she thought.

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Several days later, Angela, wearing Hiei's cloak, was sitting with Kurama and Botan in the training room while Kurama read to her and Botan put her long hair into a french braid. They turned their heads when they heard someone enter the shrine. It was Hiei, Suzuka and Touya.

"Uncle Hiei!" Angela cried as she got up and ran to him. Hiei bent down and picked her up. "I've been a good girl and kept yourw cloak clean," she said proudly.

"That's good," he replied.

Suzuka went to Kurama, saying "We've found an antidote."

Kurama nodded. "I've moved the lab into one of the spare rooms." They walked out, leaving Hiei, Botan and Touya with Angela. Kurama looked at the list, and instructions. "This shouldn't take long."

They managed to create the antidote in an hour. Now it was time to find the right dosage. After several tries, they found the right dosage. "Now the problem is getting Angela to take it," Kurama said. They thought about it for several minutes. They then heard a big splash and a squeal.

They ran out of the house to find Angela, held by Hiei, soaking wet. "What happened?" Kurama asked.

"Sisi fell in the water and I went in to save him," Angela explained.

Kurama looked at Hiei. "Why weren't you there?" Hiei looked ashamed.

"Uncle Hiei couldn't see me," Angela said defensively. "I was going to tell Uncle Barwa and Aunt Kina that they were back but I couldn't find them, then Sisi fell into the pond." She sneezed.

An idea came to Kurama's head, he looked at Suzuka. "Uh oh. I think you need to take some medicine before you get sick," Kurama said, bending down to Angela.

She squeaked. "No!"

Hiei nodded. "Yes, you need to. Hey, if you take your medicine, I'll read to you." Angela thought about it, and nodded. _-Always work,.-_ Hiei thought.

Suzuka left to get the antidote. He came back with a bottle of red syrup and a 1/8 teaspoon. He filled the teaspoon and stuck it out to the child, saying "It tastes like cherries."

Angela took it, grimacing as the taste touched her mouth. She swallowed. "No it doesn't!" she protested.

All of them held their breaths. _-Please let it work,-_ they were all thinking. Angela started to feel dizzy, the world around her became hazy. She passed out, Hiei catching and holding her. Slowly her body began to change. After a few minutes Hiei was holding the grown up Angela.

She slowly opened her eyes. "Woah...that felt strange..." she said as she carefully sat up.

They cheered. "It worked! It worked!" Suzuka was saying to Kurama, who was nodding happily, relief in his eyes. Botan was clapping and laughing. Hiei looked at Angela, relief and happiness in his eyes.

Angela blushed. "Uh thanks guys, but I ripped all of my clothes as I 'grew up'," she said. The others laughed as Hiei helped her up. She was a little wobbly, so Botan helped her to her room.

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Hiei sat on the porch, thinking. _-Mukuro said I almost lost the chance to tell Angela that I love her. She said I have to take the chance and tell her or I may never get the chance ever again. Do I want to put her in danger? Or do I want to tell her?-_ He thought for several minutes until Angela came back outside and handed him his cloak.

Kurama walked over to her and hugged her. "I'm sorry for not warning you about the Idun box. At least now you're back to your normal age."

Angela laughed and put her hand behind her head, mimicking Yusuke. "Well, actually I'm three years older. I'm 25 now."

At that time Yusuke showed up. "Okay, I'm here for Angela duty..." He did a double take when he saw Angela. Instead of a small blonde child he saw a grown blonde woman. "Angela?" he asked, knowing the answer. Then he ran to her and hugged her fiercely. "Oh it's so good to see you back to normal!"

Angela laughed. "Was I that terrible?"

Yukina, Shizuru and Kuwabara walked in from the training room, holding grocerie bags. When Shizuru and Yukina saw Angela they put their bags on the ground and ran to her.

"It's good to see you grown up kido," Shizuru said as Yukina hugged her. "You were a handfull for everyone."

"Speaking of everyone," Suzuka started. "Where is the rest of the DT gang?"

"They left to Demon World shortly before you came, all except Sisi, excuse me, I mean Shishi" Kurama said, laughing at the glare from the wet Shishi. He then explained, "Mukuro sent a message wanting them back. She also asked that you three return as soon as you can." He said, indicating Touya along with Suzuka and Shishi.

"Well, I guess it's time we left." Suzuka said to his two comrades. "See you everyone."

"Thanks Suzuka, Touya!" Angela said as they left.

"It was our pleasure, just don't ever call me 'Aunt Suzi' again," Suzuka said.

"Or call me 'Kitty' or 'Sisi'," Shishi growled as he shook dry. He had been trying to escape from the child when she had tripped. The force of the trip and his escape had sent him flying into the pond.

Angela laughed, "Okay, sorry."

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Angela spent most of the next few days with Yukina and Botan, catching up on what had happened. She remembered that things had been happening but she couldn't understand it with her child mind. She found out that it was official that Shizuru was dating Drake, and that Botan and Kurama were going out as well.

"So who asked first?" Angela asked Botan as they sat in the kitchen and ate sandwiches.

Botan blushed. "Actually we both asked at the same time."

Angela smiled, "That's cool."

They talked about Yukina's pregnancy. "The baby is due around October," Yukina said.

"What names have you picked out?" Angela asked.

"Well, we want to wait until we know what sex it will be, but if it's a girl and she has red hair, Kazuma wants to name her Sakura."

"That's a pretty name," Angela said.

Botan thought for a second. "Hey, Angela?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have the Tongues-Ring and Hear-Ring still?"

Angela shook her head, "No."

"Then why can you speak and understand japanese?"

Angela thought for a second. "Maybe it's because when I was in child form I was speaking it and I 'grew up' knowing it."

"Yes, but why were you able to understand it as a child?" Botan asked.

Angela shrugged. "No clue."

Botan looked out the window. "Oh! Look at all those butterflies," she said, pointing to several yellow butterflies. "I love spring. It's so pretty with flowers and things like butterflies."

Angela turned and started to walk out of the house. "You reminded me that I haven't tended my garden. I'm going to check on it. Seeya later," she said.

When she got to her garden she found that weeds had taken over. She spent most of the afternoon removing the weeds. At one point she paused for a second to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She heard a rustle in the trees behind her. She 'felt' with her empathy and found it was Hiei. "Come and join me Hiei," she invited.

Hiei smiled, _-She seems to not have forgotten how to use her powers. I guess there won't be any need to retrain her.-_ He jumped down and walked into the sunny little garden.

Angela turned to him, sitting back from her garden. She patted the grass beside her. "You can sit down, I'm not going to jump in your lap." She smiled. Hiei sat down beside her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, finally Angela broke the silence. "I want to thank you."

Hiei looked at her. "For what?"

"For staying here and taking care of me. I was sure that you would have left. That you wouldn't want a child hanging all over you. But you stayed." She looked at him, a strange look in her eyes. "You know, you'd make a good father if you ever decided to settle down." They stared at each other.

Finally Hiei leaned forward and kissed her lightly. "I just might," he said, then he got up and left, leaving a stunned Angela.

Angela thought about the kiss for a long time. She thought about what Hiei had said. _-Is he saying that he's thinking of settling down. And did he mean me?-_ She shook her head as she started to tend to her garden, trying to clear the confusion in her head.

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That night, Hiei snuck into Angela's room when he was sure she was asleep. He knelt beside her, and put his fingers on her temples.

_**/He entered her dream. She was sitting in a two seater wooden couch swing hanging from a large cherry tree that was in bloom. They were drifting in space around a sun with walk ways of grass littered with cherry blossoms. It was a peaceful setting. **_

_**Angela saw him. "Hi Hiei. It's a surprise to see you here. I usually don't have visitors in this dream. Come sit down." **_

_**Hiei walked along the walk ways to get to her. He sat down on the swing, causing it to swing slightly. They swung lightly in silence. Finally Angela spoke. "I like this dream, it's quiet and wonderful. I wish some place like this really existed." She looked at him. "Are you real, or are you something that my dream made up?" **_

_**Hiei smiled. "I'm real." "**_

_**Why are you here?" **_

_**"I came to say goodbye." **_

_**Angela looked away becoming sad. "Why?" **_

_**"Mukuro sent for me. The shadow creatures have been showing up in Demon World. They need my help." **_

_**Angela nodded. "So that's why the DT gang was called back." They swung in silence a little more. "Why did you come to say goodbye in my dreams?" **_

_**"I wanted to talk to you where no one could over hear." He took off a necklace that he had hidden in his shirt. **_

_**Angela's eyes widened. "That looks like a hiruseki stone." **_

_**"It is. A Koorime mother cries a special tear during birth. Our mother cried two. One for Yukina and one for me. This is mine. I lost it long ago but when I met Mukuro I was given a challenge to see under her bandages that she had been wearing at that time, hiding herself. After I succeeded she gave it back to me. She had found it and had kept it." **_

_**"Yukina told me the story about the special hiruseki stone. And that she gave you hers to give to her brother when you found him. So now you have both gems," Angela said, looking at him. She wanted to talk to him about telling Yukina, but she didn't think now was the time. "Why are you showing me this?" **_

_**Hiei handed her the stone. "I want you to keep it for me until I return. Through it I'm sure you can sense me with your power of empathy. You'll know when I come back." **_

_**Angela smiled as she put it around her neck. "Is this your guarantee?" **_

_**Hiei smiled. "Yes." He got up and started to walk away. **_

_**Angela called after him. "What did you mean earlier when you said 'I just might' when I was talking about you settling down?" **_

_**"Hn, don't worry about that right now. Goodbye Angela." He disappeared. **_

**_Angela sat there for awhile, thinking./_**

Hiei stared at her for a few minutes, then he took off his necklace and placed it around her neck, hiding it in her night shirt. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Be safe." Then he departed.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN: I'm soooo sorry! I messed up Hiei's dragon attack. It had been awhile since I had heard him say it and I forgot that it was Flame and not Wave. Please forgive me! I think I changed all of the 'Wave's.

REVISED AN: As in Chpt 16 I've adjusted some details to make it fit in the time line.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Eighteen

In a large room several people sat at a long table. Among them were Hiei, the DT gang and Mukuro, who stood at the head of the table. On the table was a large map of Demon World.

"Hiei, a group of shadow creatures have appeared in quadrant twenty three," Mukuro said as she pointed to an area on the map. "Take the fastest and strongest of the border patrol and get there as fast as you can." Hiei nodded, already making up a group in his head. Mukuro looked to another person with long black hair, six ears and seven horns. "Yomi, another group of shadow creatures have appeared in the Forest of Fools. Make up a team and get there fast." He nodded. She continued, "Now I will make up a team and head to quadrant eighteen. We're lucky that there are only three invasions. Meeting dismissed."

In a few days Hiei and his party arrived at the area of the shadow creature invasion. _-So many! No wonder Mukuro wanted us to get here fast,-_ he thought as he surveyed the large mass of shadow creatures. "Alright. You know the routine. Surround them and attack them quick and fast. Let's go," he ordered. As Hiei fought, he thought about how many times he had to fight these groups for the past month. _-Each time they get bigger and bigger. What's happening? Is the Great Darkness coming back as the prophecy said. Was the murder of Angela's family the 'blood of Angels' it was talking about?-_ Hiei's train of thought was quickly cut off as he dodged a clawed hand. He shook his head and put his thoughts back on the fight at hand.

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Angela worked in her garden, thinking. _-It's been a month and Hiei hasn't returned.-_ She felt his hiruseki stone. She could still feel him, so he was still alive. That reassured her. _-But why hasn't he returned? What's keeping him?-_

Kurama walked up behind her. "So you're here hiding again," he said as he sat down.

Angela shook her head. "Not hiding, just thinking."

Kurama stared at her, eyes softening. "He'll come back. After all he loves you."

Angela nodded. "I know he'll come back. I just wonder when."

"When he comes back, will you confront him about your love?"

Angela thought about it. "I'm not sure," she said, looking at her garden.

Kurama thought for a while. _-I wonder what will happen when the two reunite. Will Hiei be brave enough to tell her he loves her? Or will Angela have to be the first to make a move? Or will she give up? I know she misses him deeply, but can she wait for him forever?-_ "Well, Botan and Yukina are going shopping and want you to come," he said as he stood up. "You coming?"

Angela nodded. "Sure."

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"Oh! This is absolutely cute!" Botan said as they went through a baby store. She pointed out a twin set of baby pajamas. "Yellow and pink! Perfect for a twin boy and girl!" she said.

Yukina nodded. "That would be cute but look at the price."

Botan did a double take. "So much. I know! We'll get Koenma to buy it," she said happily. "You know he's just tickled pink about being designated as an uncle."

Angela nodded. "So is Yusuke. He's already planning what he'll teach the boy when he's older. Watch out Yukina, or your son will end up knowing dirty jokes that Yusuke passes on to him," Angela joked.

Yukina smiled. "Thanks for the warning." They looked at several different baby outfits and baby cribs.

"Kazuma and I are still deciding on what we'll do for the nursery. We don't want to do blue, it's such a cold color, we want to stay with the warm colors. We've decided pink for the girl but we haven't decided on the color for the boy," Yukina said as they walked to an ice cream shop.

They ran into Yusuke. "Hey girls. A little hot for you to be out Yukina," he said.

"Oh I'm fine. We've mostly kept in cool stores," Yukina said.

Yusuke nodded, "Hey, how about I buy you three an ice cream?" he offered.

The girls didn't turn him down. After they ate their ice cream the girls and Yusuke walked through town looking in various stores at baby things. Yusuke caught Angela looking longingly at the baby things several times, her hand wandering to a little bump on her chest indicating a hidden necklace. _-Is she thinking about Hiei or having a baby? Or both?-_ he thought. _-When Hiei comes back, will he be ready and willing to settle down and start a family?-_

After several hours Yusuke rode with the girls on the train to the shrine then walked with them up the steps.

"Hey, Yusuke? Where's Puu? I haven't seen him for awhile," Angela said.

Yusuke shrugged and explained, "He's with my mother. She'd been dating this guy for a long time and she finally decided to skip town with him. I sent Puu with her. I kinda suspected that she would leave, she knew I didn't like him much even though I knew he would be good to her, and she didn't want to leave him, so she left. I had told Puu that if she skipped town he was supposed to go with her to keep on eye on her." He shrugged again. "Maybe one day they'll come back."

Angela looked at him closely, she even risked 'feeling' his feelings. He wasn't sad, he was actually happy for his mom. _-That's good,-_ she thought.

When they got to the shrine Yukina went to get lunch ready, while Botan hurried to her room. "I've got a date tonight!" she said as she left, leaving Yusuke and Angela.

Yusuke looked at Angela. "I know you believe Hiei's coming back, but what if he doesn't?" he asked quietly.

Angela smiled. "He guaranteed that he was coming back. I know he'll come back."

Yusuke shook his head. "What if he can't? He's in Demon World battling shadow creatures. There's the possibility that he might die."

Angela glared at him. "Why do you have so little faith in him?"

"It's not that. I just want you to be prepared for the worst. You've already lost too many loved ones. If you lose him, I want you to know that we're here, and I want you to promise me that you won't think about suicide," he said, eyes concerned and serious.

Angela's glare softened. _-He just wants me to be prepared. He really cares for me.-_ "I guarantee I won't commit or even think about suicide." She looked at the sky. "Do we look at the same sky?"

Yusuke knew what she was talking about. "I think the skies in both worlds are connected, so I guess you are looking at the same sky." Angela smiled.

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Kurama and Botan walked down the street, holding hands. "So, if you had been human, what do you think you would have wanted to be?" Kurama asked.

Botan thought about it for awhile. "I think I would have wanted to be...a teacher."

Kurama's eyebrows went up. "A teacher? Why and what age group?"

Botan blushed. "Well, being with the child Angela, I came to like being around children, I liked reading to her and taking care of her. I think I'd be a great teacher. And I would probably be a kindergarten teacher."

They talked about teaching for awhile, then they started to talk about their lives and them. Kurama put his hand in his pocket, fiddling with a tiny box. _-Should I ask her? Is she ready to settle down? Am I?-_ He thought about it for several minutes before he made up his mind. He was about to speak when Botan's communication compact started ringing.

She answered it. "Yes?"

Koenma's face appeared on the screen. "I need you, Kurama and Yusuke to come to my office at once."

"Okay." She hung up and looked apologeticaly at Kurama. "I'm sorry for cutting the date short."

"That's okay," Kurama said, thinking that maybe now really wasn't a good time to ask.

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"What's up Koenma?" Yusuke asked as they stood in Koenma's office and hour later.

"We have a problem," Koenma started. "Recently several people with psychic powers have disappeared."

"Well, if they're psychics can't you track their auras?" Yusuke asked.

"That's the thing. Their aura's have totally disappeared too," Koenma said. "Usually that means they've died. But we've been unable to find their souls. So we don't know what's happened to them. Then there's the fact that shadow creatures have been spotted in the areas where the psychics have disappeared."

Yusuke's eyes narrowed. "So you want us to go sniff the place and see if we can find any clues?"

"Basicly, yes," Koenma nodded, handing them papers. "Here's the places."

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"Well, this place is totally clean," Yusuke said into his communication compact. "No sign of the shadow creatures and no sign of the psychic." He stood in an abandoned house.

"Same here," Kurama replied from the other end. He looked around the playground he was in. It was deserted except for Botan and himself. "All of the places that we've checked have been the same. It's almost as if these shadow creatures and psychics had never been here," he said.

Botan jumped up from the swing she was sitting in. "There's also the thing of how none of the humans have noticed their disappearences. It's almost as if they never existed."

Kurama thought about it for awhile. "Is it possible that these shadow creatures are able to manipulate peoples minds?" he asked, more to himself than to the others.

"It'd make sense, after all they were able to copy Angela," Yusuke said.

Kurama thought about that. "I see your point. Well, there's nothing we can do now. Let's go home."

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That night Angela had a semi good dream.

**_/She was in the dreamscape with floating grass walk ways and the cherry tree. She was swinging gently in the swing, looking at the stone Hiei had given her. She smiled sadly, wondering when Hiei would come back. If he'd come back. -Are you safe where ever you are? Do you think of me, like I think of you?-_ **

_**"Yes, I do," a voice said. **_

_**She looked up. Hiei stood on the walk ways again. "How did you get here? Is it you?" **_

_**Hiei nodded as he sat next to her. "Yes, it's me. But I don't know how I got here." He looked at her eyes, they were sad and lonely. "I think a came because you needed me. What's wrong?" **_

_**She started to cry. "I'm just scared that something will happen to you. You've been gone for so long." **_

_**Hiei reached over and held her. "Nothing will happen to me. After all, I need to come back and get my stone." **_

_**"Will you stay when you come back?" she asked, hoping the answer would be yes.**_

**_Hiei was silent for a few moments. "I don't know," he said softly, not wanting to break her fragile hope yet knowing he had to tell her the truth. He held her a bit longer then sighed. "I have to go now. Please don't cry or worry," he said as he left./_**

Angela woke up. She refused to cry. She was happy that she got to talk to Hiei.

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Hiei woke up, unsure of how he felt about the dream. He knew one thing. Seeing her so sad nearly broke his heart. _-I wish I was there to comfort you. I wish I could say 'I love you'. But I don't think I can put you at the risk that those words would bring you.-_ He tore himself up constantly about whether or not he should tell her. He remembered hearing what she thought, the dream making her thoughts audible. _-Yes I do think of you.-_ If he wasn't busy fighting shadow creatures he was constantly thinking about Angela. How he missed her talking, how he missed watching her gardening. How he just missed her presence completely. And when he was asleep he dreamed about her. He missed her so much it was driving him crazy. _-What are you doing to me Angela?-_

There was a knock on his door. "Yes?" he asked.

"Uh...There's been more shadow activity," Touya said through the door. "Mukuro's called a meeting. You've got five minutes." He left.

Hiei gathered his clothes, wandering how long this would go on.

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"More disappearences?" Yusuke exclaimed a week later. He and Kurama had been traveling all over Japan investigating disappearences.

Koenma nodded, "Yes, more. This time in Europe."

"Why so far?"

Koenma shrugged. "Maybe they've gotten all the powerful psychics here and are now looking else where."

Yusuke shrugged. "Well, I'll get Kurama."

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"So you're leaving for Europe?" Angela asked. She and Yusuke were laying on the roof star gazing.

"Yeah," Yusuke said.

"When will you come back?" she asked.

"Dunno."

"Hm."

They laid there for a few minutes. Finally Angela sat up. "I guess I should go say bye to Kurama and Botan."

Yusuke looked at her. _-She might not say it and she's trying hard to hide it, but she's sad that we're leaving. It must be hard on her to have Hiei gone, then have us leave.-_ He looked at the stars. _-Hiei, where ever you are, hurry it up and get your ass back here to Angela.-_ It killed him to see Angela this way and not be able to comfort her.

"Don't worry. We'll be back soon," Botan said as she hugged Angela and Yukina.

Yukina nodded, slightly crying. "Be safe," Yukina said as she hugged Kurama and Yusuke.

"Well, Kuwabara," Yusuke said, clapping Kuwabara on the shoulder. "Keep them safe."

"I will, Urameshi, you can count on it," Kuwabara assured him, wrapping an arm around Yukina.

Kurama gave Angela a communication compact. "I'll be with Botan and she has her own, so I won't need it. If you're ever lonely and you need to talk to us or there is an emergency, call us." Angela nodded. Kurama hugged her. "He'll be back, and so will we."

"Well...I guess that's that," Yusuke said as he, Kurama, and Botan walked out of the shrine. "Seeya guys." He waved and the others waved back as he and Kurama hopped onto Botan's oar and they flew off.

"I wonder if they'll be back in time for the babies birth?" Kuwabara wondered.

"I'm sure they will," Yukina said.

Angela's hand strayed to the gem under her shirt. _-Will you be back in time for your niece's and nephew's birth Hiei?-_ she silently asked, looking at the stars.

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Hiei stared at the mass of shadow creatures as they started to converge. He had been told about what the Koorime's manuscript had said about the Great Darkness. He had heard that the shadow creatures could do this. He had just hoped that they wouldn't. In seconds a three story high shadow creature stood in front of him and his patrol.

"This makes it easier and harder!" he shouted at his patrol. "There's only one target now, but it's tougher. Combine your attacks!" He looked at his patrol, saw nods and determination, but he also saw fear. _-They have a right to be. We've already lost people to these monsters. How many more will we lose before these invasions stop?-_ He shook his head.

He yelled to his patrol. "Now ATTACK!" He quickly used his speed to slash at the being's legs, hoping to cripple it, while Jin and Touya teamed up to slash it with ice shards. Jin would use his wind manipulation to catch Touya's ice shards and blow them all around the shadow creature. Several others made such teams, one to make damage, the other to spread or amplify the damage. Hiei was the only one not paired up, and he paid for it. As he jumped to slice at the creature's arms, the thing surprised him by creating a new arm that slashed him across the back. He fell in pain. The slashes were deep.

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Angela woke up in a cold sweat. She had had a nightmare but she couldn't remember what it was. She thought she remembered pain slashing down her back. _-Was it a dream about the time I was attacked at the concert? No...it felt different, like it wasn't me...-_ Her hand strayed to Hiei's hiruseki stone. She felt his presence, but it was weak. _-What does it mean? Oh Hiei...Where are you? Are you alright?-_ she thought as she laid back down.

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Hiei recovered, though he was in pain. _-I can get past this! If I can cut my own arm off, I can get past this!-_ he thought. "Everyone! Get back and attack from afar on my mark!" he shouted as he unraveled the bandage around his right arm. Everyone saw what he was doing and backed away. They knew the routine.

"Dragon! Of! The Darkness! Flame!" Hiei shouted as black fire rose out of the black dragon tattoo. The fire formed a large black dragon that raced towards the shadow creature. It screeched as it hit the being. Everyone else followed with their attacks, those that could attack from long distance attacked on their own while those that couldn't had their attacks carried by anothers, like Jin and Touya had done earlier. The large shadow creature screeched louder than the dragon had but it had survived.

"Again!" Hiei yelled. "Dragon! Of! The Darkness! Flame!" The being was carried all the way to the sky with this last dragon, when it fell back to the ground everyone fired with their strongest attacks.

It yelled as it disolved. "I AM COMING BACK! SOON HELL SHALL REIGN ON THE WORLDS!"

Hiei looked disturbed as it disappeared. Jin flew to him. "Isn't that what the shadow creature that tried to drown Angela said?" Hiei nodded.

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The next day Angela woke up and felt the stone. Hiei's presence was stronger. She sighed. _-That means he's okay.-_ As she helped Yukina with the breakfast dishes, she looked out the window at the trees. _-Hiei, how long before you prowl the trees again? How long before you watch me garden again? How long?-_ Her hand strayed to the hidden gem as it always did when ever she thought about Hiei. She was amazed to feel Hiei's presence even stronger. She remembered Hiei saying that she'd be able to sense him through the stone, and that she'd know when he came back. _-Does it mean...-_ she wondered. She shook her head. _-I shouldn't get my hopes up until it's for certain.-_

Through out the day, she found herself looking more and more at the forest, and more and more she found herself sensing Hiei stronger through the gem. Finally she decided to follow where the gem took her. As she walked through the woods, she would turn this way and that, sensing where Hiei's presence felt stronger in the gem. After two hours, she thought she found him. She was in a heavily dense area. The trees were so thick that you couldn't see the sky. It was very dark and she kept running into hanging branches and brushes.

She finally stopped and called out. "Hiei? Are you there? Please come out." She heard a rustle behind her. She turned around smiling...


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

REVISED AN: As in 16 and 18 I've adjusted some time details.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Nineteen

"Alright! Surround them and attack! Don't hold back! When Hiei unleashes the Dragon get retreat!" Mukuro shouted to the six patrol units. In front of them were three large shadow creatures, standing two stories high. "Do you hear me!"

"Captain!" everyone responded.

Mukuro nodded. "Now lets go!"

Mukuro led two teams to attack the one on the right. Yomi lead two teams to attack the middle and Hiei lead the last two teams to atack the one on the left. As Hiei pumped up his power, colorful blasts, explosions, and earth shaking attacks were hurled at the three monsters. Their screams ripped the air, but so did several others in the patrol units.

"Alright!" Hiei yelled. He stood where the dragon would attack all three. Everyone jumped back. "Dragon! Of! The Darkness! Flame!" The dragon surged forth from Hiei's arm and rampaged towards the three shadow creatures. It incinerated the first and did serious damage to the second one but the third had jumped out of the way. "Damn!" Hiei cursed.

"Again!" Mukuro yelled.

The patrols started to attack the monsters again, two teams on the seriously injured one and four on the unscathed one. This time the patrol units were able to kill one without the dragon. Hiei attacked the last monster with the rest of the patrols, wanting to wait until he was sure his dragon could kill it. He had use most of his demon energy with the last dragon.

Finally, deciding that the beast would be killed Hiei jumped back. "Everyone get back!" he yelled. They obeyed. "Dragon! Of! The Darkness! Flame!"

The beast screamed as it disolved into ash. "IT'S NO USE! YOU CAN'T STOP ME! WITH THE BLOOD OF THE ANGELS, I HAVE RETURNED!"

Hiei stared where the beast had been for a long time, eyes wide. _-What did it mean? It didn't mean that?-_ Hiei thought worriedly. _-I've been gone four months now. I haven't had any contact with anyone in Human World. And I haven't shared anymore dreams with Angela. Is she safe? Or did something happen to her?-_ Hiei looked to Mukuro. "I have to go," he said, not bothering to tell her where or why.

But she knew. _-I know what you're thinking Hiei. I know you worry about her and how you have to make sure she's safe,-_ she thought. She nodded. "Go."

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"Angela! Angela are you here?" Hiei called as he walked into the shrine a few days later.

Yusuke ran in from the side. "Hiei! I'm sorry!" he said, guilt in his voice.

Hiei's eyes narrowed. "Why? What happened?" he asked suspiciously.

"It's Angela..." Yusuke found himself pushed against the wall as Hiei grabbed his shirt collar and shoved him.

"What happened to her? Where is she?" he growled.

"We don't know," Kurama said as he came in.

Hiei glared at him. "What do you mean?"

"A month ago, Yusuke and I had to leave for Europe to investigate odd disappearences of psychics. A few days after we had left Yukina saw Angela walk into the woods. When she didn't come back by the end of the day, Kuwabara went looking for her. He couldn't find her." Kurama hung his head. "He had no way of contacting us so we didn't know until we came back a few days later. I tried to follow her scent and what was left of her aura. I wound up in a heavily dense area in the forest. All I found there was this." He held out a necklace. Hiei's eyes widened. It was his hiruseki stone that he had given to her. He took the stone, his eyes dark.

"We got a hold of Koenma to see if he could track her down, like he was able to track her down before we went to America. He couldn't. There was no sign of her aura. He blames himself for not noticing earlier, but at the time of her disappearence a whole shit load of psychics disappeared in France. He was too busy looking for them to notice," Yusuke said, eyes downcast. "After he couldn't find her aura, he looked for her soul."

Hiei immediatly dropped Yusuke and backed away, shaking his head. _-No...She can't be...-_

Kurama shook his head. "He couldn't find her soul either. Which means she's still alive."

"We tried to get a hold of you, but we couldn't reach Demon World. Every messenger we sent was attacked by shadow creatures. And Koenma didn't want us leaving Human World because of the shadow creatures here," Yusuke said.

Hiei looked at his gem, then he put it back on and tucked it under his cloak. "Did Yukina see this?" he asked.

Kurama shook his head. "No, your secret is still safe."

Hiei looked around. "Where are the others?" he asked.

Kuwabara walked in. "Yukina and Shizuru are in Spirit World for protection," he said as Botan flew in behind him, with Hinageshi and Ayame.

"We're here to take you four back to Spirit World. Koenma needs you badly." Botan said.

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"We have a serious problem on our hands," Koenma said when they arrived.

"More disappearences?" Yusuke asked.

Koenma shook his head. "No, it's more serious than that. Several large masses of shadow creatures have appeared in several places in Human World. Take a look." He turned on the tv.

The tv was in split screen with three different screens. Each screen showed masses of shadow creatures. One area looked to be in an abandoned town, another was in an abandoned temple, and the last, with the most shadow creatures, looked like an eerie graveyard without the graves. In this area there was on odd thick fog.

Koenma pointed it out. "That area we've had a hard time with. The SDF, observing from afar, have had trouble concentrating when they observe it. Their minds would start to wonder or their eyes would water, things like that. We don't think it's natural. What we do know about it is that it's in Louisiana in America, and that it's on the remnants of an old plantation in the middle of nowhere." Koenma looked at them very seriously. "There's more bad news. The shadow creatures killed everyone in those areas, but their souls never crossed over. Now they're rising from the dead." He clicked the remote and the tv zoomed in on the first two areas. It showed corpses walking around among the shadow creatures. "We don't know why, but I fear that the shadow creatures are building an army for the Great Darkness." He handed them papers. "This is your mission. I want you two," He pointed to Kuwabara and Yusuke. "To gow to the first two places with a group of the SDF and wipe them out." Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded. Koenma looked at Hiei and Kurama. "I want you two to take a larger group of the SDF and head to the third place. That's where the largest amount of shadow creatures have appeared."

Kurama nodded but Hiei shook his head, saying "I want to find Angela first."

Koenma shook his head. "No. At the moment the safety of the world comes first." Hiei's eyes hardened. "Hear me out," Koenma said. "Angela's disappearence is similar to the disappearences of the psychics, which is still happening. I think if we solve this mission, we might be able to get a clue as to what happened to them and Angela." Koenma looked pleadingly at Hiei. "We need your help Hiei. Please. I promise we'll do everything in our power to find Angela after we've beaten these shadow creatures."

Hiei glared, but he thought about it. _-If there's a chance we might find out more about Angela's disappearence and get closer to finding her, then I must do it. No matter how much I want to find her now.-_ He nodded.

Yusuke looked at him. "Hiei, have you used your Jagan to find her?"

Hiei nodded. "I can't sense her."

"Then this is our only chance at finding anything about her," Yusuke said. He wanted to look for her now as much as Hiei.

"When do we leave?" Kurama asked, eager as well to find Angela. _-The sooner we get this mission done, the sooner we can look for her.-_

"Now." Koenma said.

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"I like your mode of transportation." Yusuke told one of the SDF officers once they arrived at the abandond town. Yusuke surveyed the town. "Well, where are they?" he asked. As if summoned by the question, numerous shadow creatures appeared around them.

"Well, boys. Time for the fun to begin," Yusuke said, powering up. Tattoos appeared on his face.

"Demon form already?" Kuwabara asked as he materialized his sword.

"Makes the battle go faster. Lets go!" Yusuke said, giving an evil grin. He launched into the nearest bunch of shadow creatures, fists flying.

Kuwabara started slicing through another. Each SDF officer took their own bunch of monsters and started hacking, slashing, punching, kicking and blasting away at the beings. After several hours the shadow creatures had been eliminated.

"How's everyone?" Yusuke asked the captain of the SDF.

"One casualty, several gashes, a broken arm, and a severed leg," was the reply.

"Well, I guess we should count our selves lucky. It could have been worse." Yusuke looked around. "Now where are the zombies?"

"We observed that they only come out at night," The captain replied.

Yusuke looked at the sun. "Well, I'd say we've got an hour to recover."

They rested until night fall. When nightfall came, they formed a circle. They waited. And they waited. They waited for almost two hours, but there were no signs of the zombies. Yusuke risked one of the SDF to scout around. He came back saying that there were no zombies.

Yusuke thought for a second. "Well, I guess we should go deal with the other shadow creatures. We'll come back and check to see if the zombies return." He looked at the captain. "Let's move it." The captain nodded.

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This time when they went to the temple they made sure to land in the forest away from the temple and observe what was going on and create a strategy.

"Strange, there aren't any zombies here either," Kuwabara said, looking through the bushes.

Yusuke shrugged, "Makes our job easier." He looked at his group. "Now, we'll sneak up on them and try to surround them, go in pairs, if you can't handle them get your ass outta there and find another group to attack. Maybe this way we'll get out with less injuries and no fatalities. Got it." Everyone nodded. "Then let's go."

Kuwabara and Yusuke teamed up, knowing that they were best together. "You ready?" Yusuke asked.

"You bet," was the cheerful-like responce.

"Then let's kick some ass!"

Kuwabara rushed in, slicing and dicing, making a path into the mass of shadow creatures while Yusuke punch and pummeled any who got near. The fought like that for what seemed like forever. Kuwabara making a wide clear area by hacking the creatures and Yusuke getting the ones that got away from the sword.

"Reminds me of the time we were in Maze castle and had to fight our way through a mass of those green dudes!" Yusuke shouted.

Kuwabara nodded. "Yeah! But we've gotten much stronger since then. This will be a peice of cake!" It wasn't really, but they didn't care. They focused solely on the fight.

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Hiei and Kurama observed the area carefully from afar. "It seems like the whole area is packed with zombies and shadow creatures," Kurama said. "Do you think that what Koenma feared is true? That they're building an army?"

Hiei shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Kurama looked at him. Hiei seemed to be distracted. "What's wrong?"

Hiei looked at the plantation. "I sense something over there," he said, pointing to an area that was oddly clear of zombies and shadow creatures. "I think something's there but it's shielded."

"Can you make it visible?" Kurama asked, studying the clear area.

"Yes," he replied. He concentrated hard, his jagan glowing under his bandana.

After several minutes, a large mansion-like house appeared. Half of it was in rubble. Kurama looked closely at the part that was still intact. "There are people in there, and I think they're humans, but I can't smell them," Kurama said.

Hiei shook his head. "And I can't sense them. I made the house visible but I left the shield up."

"That's good." Kurama looked at the zombies and the shadow creatures that started to mass around the house. "I think it's about time we saved them," he looked at Hiei.

Hiei nodded. He turned to the SDF. "We're changing the plan. We'll cut a path to the house. When we get there, we'll surround the house and attack the creatures and zombies. Remember, we don't know how strong the zombies are." Hiei tore his bandana and his cloak off revealing his bare chest and the sword he normally hid underneath it. Hiei powered up, his jagan glowing brightly. He turned green and several eyes appeared on his chest, back and arms, his nails turned black and became sharp while the whites in his eyes turned yellow and his hair flared out.

As the SDF stared at Hiei in his demon form, Kurama turned into Yoko Kurama. Instead of a tall red head with green eyes, they found a taller man with silver hair, fox ears, and gold eyes. An SDF officer with blue hair stared in shock. "You're that fox demon I chased. But how did you...?"

"Hn, forget it. We've got more important things to do," Hiei said as he turned to the house. "Lets go."

Cutting a path wasn't easy. Hiei slashed at the zombies and shadow creatures to clear a path but more would take their places. Kurama sliced through them with his whip while Hiei got ready to move forward and slash through the monsters that tried to fill the places of their comrades. The SDF were having trouble keeping the path cleared as well. Too many times an officer would become surrounded and cut off from the others. The progress was slow and disastrous. They lost several men by the time they got to the house.

"Abort the plan! Try to find a way in!" Hiei called to the remaining officers.

He and Kurama ran to the side of the house, looking for a door. They found a little room that stuck out from the rest of the house. It was more like a porch with walls and windows than a room. They tried to enter it but the shield was still up. Hiei risked lifting the shield for a few seconds to get in. It took several seconds. The zombies and the shadow creatures were almost upon them when he managed to lift the shield. He and Kurama burst through the door, Hiei quickly letting go of his hold on the shield. It immediatly fell back into place. The shadow creatures that were half way through the door disolved as the shield sliced through them. Hiei slammed the door shut for added protection. He sighed.

Kurama looked at him. "I've never known you to run," he said.

Hiei looked at him. "I have to survive so that we may find Angela."

Kurama nodded. They heard running feet head towards them from beyond the door that led to the house. It banged open. A woman stood there, a white energy ball in her hands, ready to strike. Kurama and Hiei gasped, as did the woman. Hiei recovered first. "...Angela...?"


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN: This chapter is going to be a bit longer.

WARNING: Hints of nudity. Nothing graphic, though.

REVISED AN: Again, I adjusted some time detail to make it fit into the time line.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Twenty

"...Angela...?" Hiei whispered.

The woman that stood there, wearing baggy staind pants and a large staind long sleeved shirt, had green eyes and long ashe blonde hair. It was Angela, but she looked worn, her eyes no longer sparkled, there were bags under her eyes, her lips were chapped and she looked very thin.

"Hiei...?" she responded. She quickly disolved her energy ball. "I almost didn't recognize you, but I could sense your aura and I saw your hiruseki stone," she said softly, almost crying.

A woman with long red hair and brown eyes in a staind and ripped peasent shirt and a ripped flowing skirt ran up behind her. "What is it Angela!" she asked hurridly. She saw Hiei and Kurama. "Monsters! What have you done to Angela! Release her form your evil spell!" she shouted, shoving her way in front of Angela.

"No, Star! These are my friends. The ones I told you about," Angela said, still talking softly. She moved around Star and walked into the room. "Hiei...I thought I'd never get to see you again," she said, coming to him, opening her arms.

Hiei fell to his knees, powering down into his human form, and grasped her around her waist, burying his head in her stomach. _-Angela...-_ He could hardly think with all the emotions running through him.

Kurama watched them, smiling gently as he powered down. He walked over and hugged Angela's shoulders. "You don't know how happy we are to find you alive. I'm sorry that we weren't there to protect you," he said.

Angela started crying as she wrapped her arms around Hiei's neck, rubbing his head. _-Oh Hiei...how I've missed you. I'm sorry that I...-_ She shook her head. "There was nothing you could do. Even if you were there, more than likely I would have still been captured. They tricked me into thinking I felt you through the stone, making me follow it, thinking that I'd find you," she said to Hiei.

Hiei just hugged her harder, thinking _-She was captured because of me...Even without telling her I love her, she was still put at risk. They used her feelings for me and my feelings for her as a trap.-_

"Hiei, Kurama, please don't blame yourselves,"Angela said, feeling the guilt run through them.

Kurama hugged her, still feeling guilty. As he let her go and backed up, something caught his eye. He started to brush her hair away from her neck, she flinched away and blocked his hand. Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Angela? What are you hiding? What is that I see on your neck?"

Angela sighed, sadness in her eyes. "Star...please close the door," she said to Star. Star nodded, sadness in her eyes as well. When the door closed, Angela sighed again. She gently pushed Hiei away. He looked at her, confused. She took off her shirt. Kurama and Hiei gasped. All over her back and chest were scars. There were slashes, signs of hard whipping, punctures and burns.

"What happened!" Kurama asked, shocked at what he saw.

"The Darkness tortured me when I was captured by it," Angela said. "This isn't all." She took off her pants. She had many more scars on her legs. Hiei noticed a strange marking that looked like a brand on her thigh. He reached out and traced it.

"What all did they do?" Kurama asked, hoping that they didn't do more than inflict these wounds.

"Don't worry, they have no interest in sex. They just tortured me," Angela said quickly, quelling his fears.

"What is this?" Hiei asked, guilt coursing through him, despite Angela begging him not to.

"It's some type of magical symbol that they used to extract my life energy through pain." She put her clothes back on. "Only Star and two healers know about this." Hiei again grasped her waist, not wanting to let her go.

"Who are all those people?" Kurama asked.

"They're some of the psychics that were captured by the shadow creatures. I managed to free them before they were tortured for their life energy and powers. The Darkness grows on pain." She looked away. "It's here now, growing because I set it free."

"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.

"The prophecy said that with the blood of Angels, it would return, that our sealing would be our undoing. It meant that it needed the blood and life of an Angel to break the seal. It took the lives of the line of the Angels, but it needed the blood and life of a true Angel. With my blood it has returned. I'm sorry," she apologized with a guilt ridden voice.

Kurama shook his head, as did Hiei. "The sealing isn't completely broken. It hasn't taken your life," Kurama said, holding the girl by the shoulders again.

Angela shook her head, pulling away slightly, "You don't understand. Don't you wonder about those zombies?" Kurama nodded, not understanding where she was going with this. "There's some being called the zombie queen. She's alligned herself with the Darkness. She's been readying an army for the darkness for years now. The zombies outside are just a small fraction of her army. She also has dark magic. While I was in the hands of the Darkness, she cast some type of spell that has connected me to her. If she's destroyed, then I will die. It will be the same thing as a sacrifice. And the only way to stop the zombies is to kill her."

Kurama's eyes widened. Hiei hugged her tightly. _-Is there no way we can save you!-_ he despaired.

Angela gently extracted herself from Hiei, saying "The others are probably worried about me."

She led them inside, where several people, ranging in ages from small children to old timers, stared at them. "Don't worry, they're here to help," she told them. She brought Hiei and Kurama to a small room with a single bed and a table filled with colorful candles, incense, and crystals. "Star is a 'magic user', as she says. She uses these things to amplify and concentrate her power," she explained as she laid down on the bed. "Fighting Hiei took alot out of me."

Hiei sat down next to her. "I'm sorry," he said, taking her hand.

Kurama watched them, a sad smile on his face. _-It's ironic that they finally show they care for each other when we are in so much danger.-_

Star came up to him and pulled him aside. "I must speak with you," she whispered. "Angela has been through much hardship, and it has cost her. When she escaped the Darkness, she paid with most of her life."

Kurama's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Star's eyes became sad. "I mean that her life span has been drastically shortened. I don't think she'll live past the year, that is if we get out of here with our lives." Kurama looked at Angela and Hiei. Star sighed. "She might have lived longer if she hadn't stayed to protect us. She could have fled, taking a few of the children with her. But she refused to leave us to be tortured and die. When ever she sensed the shadow creatures bring a new psychic, she would use her power to rescue them. Once she rescued me, we teamed up and took turns rescuing the others. She's brave and has a good heart. I wish I could take her place, be the one that's doomed, so she could live."

"I'm sorry that this happened to you," Hiei whispered to Angela.

Angela smiled and reached up to touch his face. "It's not your fault."

"It is. If I had never given you my necklace, the shadow creatures wouldn't have been able to use it to get at you," he protested.

Angela smiled again. "They would have gotten me sooner or later."

Hiei shook his head, not able to shake the feeling of guilt. _-How can I keep you safe if I tell you I love you? I can't always be there to protect you?-_

Angela sensed the guilt in him and pulled him down to her and kissed him. "Everything will be alright. I'm sure of it. Now that you're here, we can get a message out," she said. Hiei looked questioningly at her. She explained, "None of us are very powerful telepaths. And me and Star can't risk letting the shields up for long. We need someone powerfull to get the message through the shield. I bet you noticed how you couldn't sense any of us in here. The shield blocks our auras and energies from the outside world."

Hiei nodded, understanding coming to him, "That explains alot."

"Yes. It's also like how the Darkness blocked everyone's energy and aura, so that Yusuke and Kurama couldn't find them and where the Darkness was."

"Where is it?"

"It's out in the middle of the plantation, we're on the outskirts," she said. She called to Star. "Star, I'm going to rest, can you moniter the shields?"

"Yes," Star replied from the doorway.

Angela looked at Hiei. "You look as if you need to rest too." She scooted over. "Lay down please. I want to stay near you."

Hiei smiled softly. _-At this point, I'll do anything you ask, as long as it makes you happy and keeps you safe.-_ He laid down beside her and held her.

"Thank you Hiei," she whispered.

Hiei looked at her, "For what?"

"For coming back alive. And coming to me, even though you didn't know I was here." She drifted to sleep.

Hiei thought about what she said, and about what she had said about the zombie queen. _-I'll find some way to destroy her and the Darkness without killing you. I promise.-_

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Angela slept for about an hour then she woke up, immediately alert and thinking of plans. "Hiei, I think we should try sending a message."

Hiei nodded and helped her up. They called Star and Kurama in. "Star, we're going to try sending a message," Angela said, clearing an area of the floor. She sat down, motioning for Hiei and Star to sit down. "You and I are going to amplify Hiei's telepathic power," Angela told Star, who nodded. The took each others hand then held out a hand for Hiei. Not sure what they were doing, Hiei took their hands. "Hiei, remember how you taught me how to use my empathic powers. We're going to do the same except me and Star will be...uh...It's hard to explain...we'll basicly be giving you our powers." Hiei nodded. "Before we do this make sure you know who you're going to contact and what you're going to say. We don't know if this will cause the shields to go down, and if it does, we can't risk keeping them down for long."

Hiei thought about it. Then he nodded. They concentrated hard. When Hiei thought the message would be strong enough, he shouted it, **_-YUSUKE! THE DARKNESS IS HERE! GET HERE WITH BACKUP! NOW!-_** "Done!" he said. They quickly broke contact.

"Star the shields!" Angela cried, eyes widening. She quickly took Star's hands. They sat there with their eyes closed, concentrating. A glow started to surround them, then it blasted out from them, covering everyone as it spread out of the house. Angela opened her eyes and sighed. "They didn't get in." Star nodded. "Who did you send it to?" Angela asked, holding her head.

"Yusuke. Hopefully they'll be here soon," Hiei said.

Star looked at Angela, concerned. "You should go lay down."

Angela nodded and stood up. She sighed then fainted. Hiei caught her. "What's wrong?" he asked Star, concern and worry in his eyes.

Star stood up and checked Angela. "She just needs to rest," she said.

Hiei nodded and carried her to the bed and then sat by her side. Star and Kurama left.

"He seems to truely lover her," Star said.

Kurama nodded. "He does, he just won't admit it out loud. If it weren't for this situation, he probably wouldn't have showed this much affection in front of everyone."

Star nodded. "I know Angela truely loves him. She constantly talked about him and worried if he was okay. Now the time that she could have spent with him has been stolen from her."

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Yusuke, Kuwabara and the SDF fought for hours before they managed to rid the temple of shadow creatures. By the end they had fewer injuries and no deaths.

"Well, still no sign of zombies," Yusuke said as he looked around. "Do ya'll want to check the town again?" he asked to those standing around. There were nods and shaking heads. "Sheesh, you're not wimps are ya'll?" Yusuke asked sarcastically.

He started to walk to the captain when he recieved a telepathic message. **_-YUSUKE! THE DARKNESS IS HERE! GET HERE WITH BACKUP! NOW!-_** Hiei yelled.

"Holy shit! That was loud!" Yusuke exclaimed, rubbing his ears.

"What was loud?" Kuwabara asked.

"Hiei just sent me a message yelling to get where they were with back up."

Kuwabara looked at the SDF around them. "If Hiei was asking for help, I doubt these people will do. It takes alot to make Hiei admit he needs help."

Yusuke nodded. "Let's go talk to Koenma."

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"WHAT?" Koenma yelled. "You mean they're alive?"

Yusuke looked shocked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"A few hours ago Hiei's and Kurama's auras disappeared and their SDF unit all died."

Yusuke thought about it for a long time. "I think we're going to need stronger fighters," he finally said. He looked at Koenma. "Can you get in contact with Mukuro?"

Koenma nodded. "I can get her and several of the border patrol to come. And I'll get someone else to help with the fight. We need all the help we can get." Koenma had a strange look in his eyes.

"Koenma what are you thinking?" Yusuke asked.

"You'll know when it happens," Koenma said mysteriously.

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"Listen up! Koenma has just contacted me. They have a bigger problem than we do. Apparently the Darkness has appeared in the Human World and Hiei's asked for backup," Mukuro said at a hastily called meeting.

"And you want us to go there and help," Yomi said. _-She's worried. I can hear it in her voice.- _He'd been around Mukuro long enough to tell how she felt through her voice.

Mukuro looked at him. "Yes. I'll leave a small force here, but the majority of us are going to Human World. I, Yomi, and the DT gang, just to name a few."

Somone in the back protested. "You're taking the most powerful of us? What if there's another shadow creature invasion?"

Mukuro shook her head. "I doubt it. The Great Darkness is attacking the Human World, all of the shadow creatures will be there." She looked at all the faces, thinking of how many they had lost and wondering how many more they would lose. "Meet back in thirty minutes. Dismissed."

Everyone left except for Yomi. "Mukuro, you're worried about Hiei aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

Yomi nodded, knowing better than to ask questions when she talked with that tone of voice. "Who are you taking?"

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Koenma floated through a dark space where peices of builings, ships, street lights and various objects floated. "Itsuki? Please answer me," he called. "Please come out and see me."

"Why?" a disembodied voice asked. "Are you here to take Shinobu away from me?"

Koenma shook his head. "No, I'm here to ask you a favor."

A pause. Finally the voice asked, "How did you get here?"

"I found a Dark Soul and let it eat me. I knew that the space in a Dark Soul is connected to the space that you fled into with Sensui," Koenma explained.

"What favor do you ask?"

"I want you and Sensui to come help me save the three worlds."

"Hahaha. Shinobu is unable to fight," the voice said.

"I can revive him, I have special permission from my father."

"And after we help you, you will take him away," the voice accused.

Koenma shook his head. "No, for helping us we offer you your lives and a chance to live freely."

There was silence. "You promise you won't take him away if he refuses to help?"

"I swear it on my life."

A man with shoulder length blue hair holding a tall dark haired man appeared. "Then save him."

Koenma walked to the two men. He bent down and took out his pacifier. He held it out to the man and the pacifier started to glow brightly.

After a few minutes, the dark haired man opened his eyes. "I'm...alive, Mr. Itsuki?" he asked the blue haired man.

Itsuki nodded, "Yes Shinobu."

The man looked at Koenma. "Why?" he asked, suspicious.

Koenma sighed. "We need your help Sensui. A long time ago a Great Darkness started to take over the four worlds. No one could stop it, that is, no one but the Angels..." Koenma told the story of the Angels and their battle with the Great Darkness, and the ritual to continue the blood line of the Angels. "...The ritual that the Angels performed insured that when ever the world was in danger an Angel would be awoken. It's a good thing and a bad thing at the same time that they did that. Right before the Darkness was sealed away it screamed that it would return with the blood of the Angels. Recently an Angel was awoken. Her name was Angela, and she was also a reincarnation of the oldest and wisest Angel."

"Was?" Sensui asked.

Koenma sighed, "She disappeared two months ago. I fear that the Darkness, which has returned, captured her and used her to break the seal."

"And you want my help to destroy it. Why can't the spirit detective take care of it? Surely he and the others are strong enough," Sensui said.

Koenma shook his head. "Not by themselves. Hiei and Kurama had gone to an area where the shadow creatures had amassed. Their auras disappeared, but somehow Hiei managed to send a telepathic message to Yusuke, calling for backup and saying that the Darkness was there. We really need your help. Please. If you help, your record will be erased and you and Itsuki can start your lives over. I've healed you completely, you're no longer ill." Koenma watched Sensui think about it. "If it's any proof that the worlds want your help, the Sacred Energy that you've mastered is based off of the Angels' powers. You're practically an Angel yourself, you just lack the blood of the Angels."

Sensui thought about it. "Is the Human World worth saving?"

"If you won't do it for the Human World, then do it for Demon World. But personally I think that Human World is worth saving. After all they have people like Angela, kind, caring, gentle, and all out wonderful. They even exist in Demon and Spirit World. Please, help us," Koenma pleaded.

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"It's good to see you Hokushin," Yusuke said to a bald man. They and over fifty fighters stood in the shrine.

"Yes, you too Yusuke," Hokushin said. "I hear you've been having a some trouble."

Yusuke laughed. "Some. I hear you've had a little trouble too."

Hokushin laughed in return. It was nervous joking. "So when do we leave?" Hokushin asked.

"When ever Koenma gets back," Yusuke said.

"Eh! There he is!" Jin said, flying above them.

Koenma walked into the shrine. "Yusuke, he's on our side," Koenma warned before Sensui and Itsuki walked in.

"But how?" Yusuke asked, bewildered. _-He died! Didn't he?-_ Yusuke thought back to the time he had fought the ex-spirit detective. _-Come to think of it, we never did see him die. Itsuki took him away before he died.-_

"I was brought back to help you with these shadow creatures," Sensui said in his calm voice.

Yusuke shrugged. _-Well, we need the help. And Koenma said he was on our side. I guess we should take the risk.-_ "Alright. Well, I guess we're ready to go."

"Urameshi! Are you nuts? We can't trust these lunatics!" Kuwabara yelled, grabbing Yusuke's arm.

Yusuke glared at him. "We have to trust them. We need all the help we can get."

Kuwabara thought about it. _-He's right. I guess I'll trust them. For now at least.-_

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"Angela?" Hiei whispered.

"Hm?" she replied.

"I want to tell you...No nevermind," Hiei stopped.

Angela smiled sadly. _-Would you tell me if I told you I had not long to live? But I won't force you like that. Tell me on your own time.-_ She turned to him. They looked into each others eyes.

Hiei saw love in Angela's eyes, but also pain and guilt. "I will find a way to save you. I promise," he swore.

Angela smiled. "I know." She didn't believe it though. There was no way to sever the tie between her and the zombie queen.

**_-Angela, child. We forgive you, child. Come here,-_** called a voice with a southern accent. It was the zombie queen.

"Hiei! Hold me. Don't let me go to her!" Angela cried, fighting the compulsion that overtook her when ever the zombie queen called to her.

Hiei, not knowing why, held her tight. She struggled against him for several minutes. Finally she settled down. She was crying and explained "It was the zombie queen. She constantly calls me, trying to get me back. Every time it get's harder to fight."

Hiei held her, worrying about how he could sever the bond between her and the zombie queen. Suddenly screams rent the air. They were coming from the outside. Hiei and Angela looked at each other, then they got up and ran to one of the windows. Outside were Yusuke, Kuwabara, the DT gang, Mukuro and over fifty more people that were fighting the zombies and the shadow creatures.

Angela turned to Star. "We need to let the shields up and signal them to come in!"

Star shook her head. "No, it will take too long to get them all in."

"Then we'll bring them in a couple at a time," Angela argued.

Star nodded, but she still found some problems with the plan, "Yes, but how do we signal them to come?"

Hiei stood up. "I and Kurama will go out and signal them. We can keep the zombies and the shadow creatures away from us for a bit."

Kurama nodded. "It's the only way."

Angela looked to Star, pleading "We have to take the chance, they don't know what we know, and they need to know it."

Star thought about it for a few seconds then nodded "Alright."

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"Hey! Look there! At the house!" Someone pointed out as Yusuke and the others tore through the zombies and shadow creatures.

Yusuke looked then shouted, "It's Hiei and Kurama!"

**_-Everyone, get in the house, quickly, but only three at a time!-_** Everyone heard Hiei's telepathic message.

The nearest nodded and ripped their way through the monsters. They found a door near Hiei and Kurama. They burst in and were quickly summoned further into the house. Hiei felt the shields go up. The moment another group got close the shields lifted to let them in. This went on for several minutes. Finally Yusuke, Mukuro and Yomi dashed in. Hiei and Kurama quickly followed before the shields went up again.

"Glad to see you two alive," Yusuke said.

"And what about me?" a woman said behind him.

Yusuke froze. He turned around to see Angela, Kuwabara hugging her shoulders. Yusuke about cried. He had been almost sure that Angela was gone forever. He ran and hugged her tight. "Why didn't you tell me Hiei? When you told me to get backup?" he asked, slightly mad.

Hiei shook his head. "There wasn't enough time."

"There's still no time for that. I have something important to tell you all. Let's go into the house," Angela said herding them into the house.

"Yusuke," Hiei said.

Yusuke turned to him, talking before him, "I know what your going to ask. Sensui is here to help."

"Here Hiei," Mukuro said, handing Hiei his cloak. "I think you dropped this."

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Angela looked at the assembled humans and demons. She sighed then began her story, "Long ago the Great Darkness over ran the worlds, but the Angels sealed it away with their lives. However the Darkness said it would come back with the blood of the Angels. Somehow it knew about the ritual the Angels had made to continue their blood line. I'm the last of that line. The Darkness has come back. It had killed my whole family about five months ago, it grew in power with the deaths of the Angel bloodline. However, it could only grow, the seal wasn't broken. It needed the blood and sacrifice of a woken Angel. I am the woken Angel, and a reincarnation. It waited until I had grown to my full powers, then it waited until my protectors were gone. A month ago it captured me and tortured me to almost death. It got the blood of an Angel, but it still needed the death of one. As you can see, I'm still alive. The seal is still partly intact." Angela looked around at everyone. "But the Darkness isn't the only enemy. I'm sure you've noticed the zombies. They're the army that the zombie queen has created. I'm not sure what the zombie queen is, but you have to kill her to completely destroy her army. And those zombies out there are only a fraction of the army she has. However, killing her is out of the question. She has a strange and powerful dark magic. While I was being tortured, she cast some type of spell that has bound my life to hers. If she's destroyed, I will die. I would gladly give my life to destroy the bitch, but it's what the Darkness wants. If I die, it will be the sacrifice that it wants. Some how, we need to destroy the Darkness before we kill the zombie queen."

She saw Hiei shake his head. "Before we kill her, we find some way to destroy the bond between you and her," he said firmly.

Angela smiled sadly, "I'm not sure you can."

Mukuro shook her head. "I think we may have a way. I, Hiei and Kuwabara will need to work together."

"Give me a plan," Angela said. "And if I think it will work, I'll let you try it. But first lets form a plan for attacking the Darkness."

Yusuke laughed. "All we need to know is where it is. Then we go all out and wail on it's ass."

Angela thought about it. "I guess that's all you can do. When I was there, I could see no weakness to exploit. But since it's not at it's full strength, even with the amount of psychics it's drained, and since it's still partly sealed, you might have a chance if all of you 'wail' on it." She turned to Mukuro. "Let's go talk. While these guys come up with some strategy, 'cuz they can't leave without even a little organization," she said firmly, then she smiled at Yusuke to take the sting out of her comment.

"I'm coming with you," Star said, standing at Angela's side. Angela nodded.

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"I think that either I or Kuwabara may be able to slice through the connection between you and the zombie queen. It must exist on some plane or dimension. My attacks slice through space and Kuwabara's sword can cut through dimensions," Mukuro said.

Star spoke up. "When ever the zombie calls her, I can sense a thread of power connecting the two, and someone else has said something about seeing a thread of energy."

Mukuro looked to Hiei. "Do you think you could see it with your jagan?"

Hiei thought about it. Suddenly Angela froze. She started to clutch her head. Star immediately grabbed her. Angela started to struggle. "It's the zombie queen!" Star cried as Hiei started to help her hold Angela.

"Quick Hiei! See if you can see it!" Mukuro ordered.

Hiei concentrated, his jagan glowing. "Yes, I see it. It's connected to her heart."

"Should we slice it?" Kuwabara asked, readying his sword.

Mukuro shook her head as Angela calmed down. "No. I think the only time we can sever it is when we meet her face to face and she's calling to Angela. I think the closer they get together the bond will become more solid."

Hiei nodded. "Yes, now I can't see the bond. It's almost as if it isn't there."

"Then when the others start attacking the Darkness we'll face the zombie queen and kill her. I will attack her, the moment I strike Kuwabara, you slice through the bond, and Hiei you will hold Angela to make sure she doesn't go to the zombie queen," Mukuro said.

Angela had recovered. "That might work, but how will we make sure that we will confront her at the same time as the others attack the Darkness?" she asked.

"We will use you as bait. If she can call to you, then you should be able to call to her. And Hiei will stay in telepathic contact with the others," Mukuro replied.

Angela thought about it. "I guess we'll give it a shot. If it doesn't work, then at least the others would have seriously injured the Darkness by the time the seal breaks."

Hiei stared at her. _-How can I help you see and believe in the positive, like you used to? I want to help you, but I don't know how.-_

Yusuke knocked on the door frame, peeking in. "Guys, we've got a plan."

"Good, now let's tell you ours," Mukuro said.

She, Star, and Kuwabara left. Hiei held Angela back. "Angela," Hiei said, taking hold of her hand. Angela turned to him. He came close to her. "I want you to believe that this will work," he said softly. "I want you to be happy and believe in hope again. I heard when you talked to Yusuke about the stars. I want you to look at the stars when we leave the house, I want you to see the hope that you used to when you looked at them. I'm here now, I'll protect you and save you, I promise." He leaned forward and kissed her.

Angela cried a little. "I'll try. I'll try."

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"Okay, everyone know the plan?" Mukuro asked. Everyone nodded. "Most of the demons will take the front line. The others stay in the back to atttack the zombies and shadow creatures when they come to defend the Darkness. Flyers attack from above. If you can, attack from afar. Only attack close range as a last resort. Humans, stay in between the frontlines and the back. Only the ones capable to fight with their powers come, the others stay here and keep the shields up. Kuwabara, Angela, Hiei and I will face the zombie queen." She looked at everyone, "We will attack and kill the zombie queen after you've done some damage to the Darkness. Be prepared. If our plan doesn't work, if Angela dies or is injured, the seal will break or be weakened further, depending on what happens. Either way, the Darkness will become stronger. Now does everyone understand?" 'Yes ma'ams', 'Captain', and other variations of assent were heard from everyone. "Then lets go."

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"Holy hell!" Yusuke exclaimed, looking at the massive dark blob in the middle of a large field that might once have held wheat or corn. The dark mass was five stories high, as thick as a building, and made of the same stuff as the shadow creatures.

"I think we might have a battle on our hands. What do you say, Mr. Urameshi?" Sensui said, standing beside him.

Yusuke cracked his neck. "Well, let the party begin."

He powered up into demon form. Sensui powered up, a gold aura blazed around him, forming into blue armor. All around them demons and humans powered up. Jin led the flyers into the air and hovered well above the Darkness. As if sensing the danger it was in, the Darkness exploded into tentecles that whipped and lashed at the fighters. Some were quick enough to dodge, others weren't. They were flung in every direction, sustaining injury. Where the Darkness had touched them their skin burned and bubbled.

"Aye! Watch it! The thing's touch is acid!" Jin shouted above blasts and explosions, observing from above as he threw several tornadoes at the being.

"Got it!" Yusuke yelled back.

"Here come the zombies and shadow creatures!" Touya yelld.

"Get ready!" Yusuke shouted to the demons in the back

After half an hour, Yusuke contacted through the open psychic link between them, **_-Okay, Hiei, we've done alot of damage, but we've also taken alot of damage. We need those zombies gone!-_**

Hiei nodded to himself. "It looks like we're up," he said to Mukuro, Angela and Kuwabara.

"Are you ready Angela?" Mukuro asked the woman.

Angela nodded. "Just don't let me go to her," she said, eyes scared.

Hiei came to her. "I won't. I'll keep you safe."

Angela turned to a sandy haired man. "Danny? Are you ready to take over the shields?" The man nodded.

They stepped into the porch room. "Here we go," Mukuro said. The shields fell and they stepped out of the house.

For an instant the shields didn't come back up. After several seconds, they returned. "Good," Angela sihged. She looked at the stars like Hiei had told her to. She tried to see the hope that she used to. She thought she could see a tiny glitter. _-Please let this work,-_ she pleaded the stars.

Hiei saw her look at the stars. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. **_-It will be alright. I promise,-_ **he said to her. She looked at him, a tear rolling down her face.

They walked into an area that once might have been a large garden. In the middle was a being that looked like a heavy set woman dressed in clothes from the civil war era.

"That's her," Angela said, quivering.

"Come here child," the being said, like a mother to a child. "Come here child. We forgive you, Angela, we forgive you for hurting us. Come here child."

Angela started to walk closer, despite using all her will power not to. "Hiei!" she cried.

Hiei quickly grabbed her. He used his jagan. The thread that attached her to the zombie queen had grown to a thick rope. "It's just as you said Mukuro!" he yelled, struggling with Angela.

Mukuro nodded. "Kuwabara, get ready," she said, making a flat palm of her hand, as if she were going to slap someone. Kuwabara nodded, bringing out his sword. Mukuro brought her hand up and made a slashing motion. A line appeared in the space where the zombie queen had been. The space on either side of the line split from each other. "Damn! She's fast!" Mukuro growled. She made several slashes, each time missing. Finally it seemed she quit aiming for the zombie queen. After awhile she laughed. "Your surrounded now! No matter where you go, you'll be split."

The zombie queen started to laugh. "Do you really think that I'll just die by being ripped to peices? One of my zombies will put me back together."

Mukuro stepped to the side to show Hiei in front and to the side of Angela. His bandage was off and a black fire was surrounding his arm. "Yes, but can they put your ashes back togther?" Hiei growled. Then he shouted "Dragon! Of! The Darkness! Flame!"

The dragon ripped towards the zombie queen. Her screams rent the air, they were soon joined by the screams of all of the zombies. The zombies' screams weren't the only screams joining hers, Angela was screeching.

"Kuwabara! Now!" Hiei yelled.

Kuwabara slashed the power rope that connected the zombie queen to Angela, he didn't need Hiei to tell him where it was. He could see it now. The rope ripped apart as Kuwabara's Dimension sword sliced through it. Angela quit screaming abruptly. The zombie queen turned to ashes.

Hiei ran to Angela. She was oddly still and quiet. Just before he got to her, she lifted her head and screamed. As she screamed her body started to lift off the ground. A strange red light started to surround her. As her screams increased, the light started to whirl around her, ripping her clothes off. As she floated there, screaming, the brand on her thigh started to glow blood red. That glow spread to all of her scars. Soon her body was lit up with blood red light. After a second, her screams became a shrilling screech that echoed through the whole plantation and the red glow left her body and flew in the direction of the Darkness. Angela stopped screaming and floated back to the ground where Hiei caught her and wrapped her in his cloak. She was still and cold, her eyes closed, and her face pale.

"Angela? Angela? Please wake up. Say something," Hiei pleaded quietly as he held her. _-What happened? What went wrong? Did it not work?-_ he thought franticaly. He looked at Mukuro.

She shook her head. "I don't know what went wrong. But I'm sure that red light indicated that the seal has been broken or weakened. We have to go there. They need us," she said, indicating herself and Kuwabara. "You stay here with Angela. Try if you can to get her to the house and under the shields. The zombies are gone now, but there are still shadow creatures."

Hiei nodded. Mukuro and Kuwabara headed for the Darkness. Hiei knelt there holding Angela. He shook her slightly. "Angela, please wake up," he pleaded again.

Angela opened her eyes a bit. She reached up and touched Hiei's face. "I'm sorry Hiei, I didn't mean for this to happen. I never meant to leave you," she cried softly.

Hiei shook his head. "Don't say that. You're going to be alright. She's gone. She's gone."

Angela shook her head. "It doesn't matter. When the connection broke I was seriously injured and the Darkness took the pain it caused and my life with it. I don't have much time left."


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN: I suggest to listen to Evanescence "Bring Me To Life" and Crossfade "Colors".

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Twenty One

Touya sliced through several zombies with his ice sword when there was a terrible scream. Almost instantly the zombies around him started screaming. Everyone in the back were astonished and happy to see the zombies disolve. "Yes! They did it!" he shouted.

Yusuke heard him. "Remember everyone. Be ready in case the seal weakens or breaks," he warned. He silently hoped that it wouldn't, considering what it would mean.

Suddenly a chilling screech filled the air. Yusuke caught sight of Kurama in demon form, for an instant they shared a terrified glance. _-It can't be! Please let Angela be alright,- _Kurama prayed. To what god he did not know or care, as long as they insured Angela's health and life.

A red glow streaked over their heads to the Darkness. The glow was quickly absorbed, and the Darkness surged higher and wider. "YES! THE SEAL IS ALMOST BROKEN! THE ANGEL WON'T LIVE LONG AND THEN THE SEAL WILL BE COMPLETELY BROKEN AND YOU PATHEITC FOOLS WILL KNOW ONLY PAIN AND TERROR FOREVER MORE!" it boomed.

"I don't think so you bastard!" Yusuke yelled, fighting the shadow creatures harder. He had been put on the back lines since he only had three spirit bullets. They were saving him for last, like a trump card.

Kurama pulled various seeds out of his hair and threw them at the Darkness. He then used his power to make them grow. Vines started to spread over a part of the Darkness. Several others blasted simultaneously one area. All around, the fighters stepped up their onslaught. Several minutes later Mukuro and Kuwabara joined the battle. Mukuro took the front and Kuwabara joined Yusuke in the back.

"Well!" Yusuke yelled as he punched through a shadow creature. "What about Angela!"

Kuwabara shook his head. "I don't know, she wasn't moving when we left," he yelled back as he started to slash through the monsters.

Mukuro took her place beside Yomi. "We killed the zombie queen," she said, starting to slice the space around the Darkness. However it would reassemble after being sliced. It at least gave the fighters time to attack the various areas that had been severed and cause great damage. "However, I don't know what's happened to Angela. We need her alive to win."

Sensui, overhearing, looked to Itsuki. "Mr. Itsuki, go and check on them."

Itsuki nodded, "Just don't die Shinobu," he said.

Sensui shook his head. "I've been given a second life, and I intend to make the best of it." Itsuki nodded again and disappeared into a hole that appeared behind him.

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Hiei held Angela gently. He didn't want to risk moving her, so they had stayed in the garden. No shadow creatures had bothered to attack them, they were all fighting the others. Every now and then Hiei would gently shake her to keep her awake. "Don't fall asleep on me! Don't you dare!" he would whisper.

Suddenly a dimensional hole appeared in front of them. Itsuki stepped out. "I'm here to check on you and take you to the healers," he said. "Come with me."

Hiei, not really trusting him, but willing to take the risk if it meant getting help for Angela, nodded and gently carried Angela into the space on the other side of the hole.

Angela started to whimper. Hiei gently laid her down, as Itsuki closed the hole. "Hiei...please forgive me...I can't hold on any longer..." she whispered, reaching up again to touch Hiei's face.

Hiei looked deep into her eyes. "Please, don't leave me...I...I...I love you," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her.

She smiled. _-I'd die for you Hiei. You must know that. I'd do anything for you. I have to do this...-_

As Hiei leaned back, he saw that her eyes were closed. "No! Don't go! Please Angela!" he pleaded, shaking her.

Suddenly a light surrounded her. She slowly started to float away from him.

Itsuki gasped. "She's taking us to the battle field! I can't stop her."

"What's happening!" Hiei asked. _-Please! She can't be dead!-_ he thought as a hole opened up to the battle field.

The light that was Angela led Hiei and Itsuki out of the alternate space. "Angela! Come back!" Hiei called.

Suddenly the light around Angela flashed brightly then she flew quickly to the Darkness. Everyone saw her.

Yusuke cried out, "Angela!"

Kurama yelled, "No!"

Kuwabara shouted, "It can't be!"

When everyone thought she was going to be absorbed, she stopped in front of the Darkness.

The light around her slowly dimmed, showing Angela with long silver hair, great silver wings and dressed in a green flowing dress. All of her scars were gone and she looked completely healthy. The Darkness reached out to her but a light flashed and the tentecles were incinerated.

The Darkness screeched, "WHAT IS THIS! WHY CAN I NOT ABSORB HER!"

"Angela!" Hiei yelled, shoving his way to the front.

She looked at him, eyes shining. "I must do this, for you and everyone."

Suddenly everyone found them selves being lifted into the sky surrounded by large bubble-like shields. Hiei banged his fists against the shield, but he could not break through. "Angela!" he screamed.

Angela looked to the stars. "Help me," she pleaded. The stars flashed brightly. Angela felt power swell with in her. She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them her eyes glowed silver. She started to gather spirit power into her palms. She flew around the Darkness and when the power had gathered to the size of a basket ball she blasted the balls at the Darkness. It screeched at her and lashed out. This time the tentecles weren't incinerated. It slashed her across the left shoulder. She winced but continued to gather power and blast it at the Darkness. She flew over it and saw the vines that Kurama had started to grow. She blasted an earth energy ball at them, empowering it to grow on their own. Rapidly the vines grew all over the Darkness. They started to hold the Darkness down but with a scream it broke free. Again it lashed at Angela. She tried to dodge but it caught her on the tip of her wing. She wobbled in the air for a moment.

A moment in which Hiei nearly choked with dread. "Angela! Come back! Let us handle it! Please!" Hiei yelled.

Yusuke joined him. "You don't have to do this! We can take care of it! Come back!"

Angela shook her head. She gathered a super fire ball and threw it at the Darkness. Hiei, Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Star and the DT gang watched her battle and blast the Darkness with their hearts in their throats. Again Hiei tried to break through the shields, his friends helping him. It was no use.

Hiei looked up from where he was punching the shield wall when he heard a lull in the battle. What he saw made his heart wrench painfully. Angela hovered above the Darkness, bloody from several wounds all over her body.

She stared at Hiei. "I love you," she mouthed. Then she spread her arms wide and looked up at the stars. Above her formed a large circle with a five point star in it. At each point of the star formed a large energy ball, one for each element.

"NO!" Hiei yelled, he remembered what Koenma had said about calling on all of the elements at once.

Angela again stared at him, love and happiness in her eyes. She looked up at the pentacle. Suddenly a bright thick rainbow of light shot down from the heavens, engulfing Angela and shooting down to the Darkness, where it widened and engulfed it too.

The Darkness screamed. "NOOOO! I WON'T GIVE UP! I'LL COME BACK! AND NO ANGELS WILL BE THERE TO PROTECT THESE WORLDS!" A hole formed in the light above the Darkness and it was sucked into the hole, screaming. All of the shadow creatures in all of the worlds joined in the scream as they too were sucked in.

The light beam slowly faded, showing Angela floating in the sky without her wings and her hair back to ash blonde. The shields filled with the fighters floated to the ground where they disolved. Hiei instantly used his speed to catch Angela as she floated to the ground.

Hiei held her gently as she fell in his arms. Like before, her eyes were closed and she was cold and still. She was hardly breathing. "Angela? Angela? Please wake up. Don't die on me. Please!" he cried, shaking her gently.

She opened her eyes, they were green again, and they looked tired but happy. "I can't stay with you. I have to stay with the Darkness and keep it sealed with my soul. It's the only way. You must realize that I'll do anything for you. For you and everyone. If this is what it takes to keep you safe, then I must, and will gladly, do this," she said softly.

Hiei shook his head. "There must be some other way. Please!" he cried as he held her to him, rocking her.

Everyone that looked on felt their heart break for Hiei and Angela. Even Sensui and Itsuki. _-Koenma was right. The worlds must be worth saving if this girl will gladly give her life to protect them. That lady was right, the worlds need this girl.-_ Sensui thought about what he had told Itsuki. _-What better way to make the best of a life than to sacrifice it for others.-_

He walked up to Hiei, who held the dying last Angel. "What if another soul stayed to seal it?" he asked.

Angela looked weakly at him. "The soul would have to be equal to mine in power, and I don't mean to be rude, but none of you possess that power yet." She laughed weakly.

Sensui looked to Itsuki, who nodded, knowing what he was thinking. "What if two of us combined our powers and souls?" Sensui asked, indicating Itsuki and himself.

Angela's eyes took on a sad look. "I don't want anyone to die."

Sensui smiled. "I've been given a second life and I want to make the best of it. Willingly sacrificing it for others is one of the greatest things I can do with it. The greatest thing you can do with yours, however, is to live and continue the line of the Angels. Please, let us do this."

Hiei held Angela tightly but gently. "Please, let them do it. Stay with me. Stay with me Angela. I need you," Hiei pleaded, crying.

Angela thought about it. "Only if you are sure you want to do this. You must give your life willingly and freely." Sensui and Itsuki nodded. "Then walk into the portal," she said, pointing to the portal that had sucked up the Darkness. Inside was a light of many colors.

Sensui and Itsuke looked at each other and smiled. _-I will gladly go anywhere with you, Shinobu.-_ Itsuki thought.

_-Now I can truely atone for my sins.-_ Sensui thought as he and Itsuki entered the portal. There was a blinding flash of light. When it died the portal was gone.

Hiei looked to Angela. Again a bright light encircled her, then faded into her. "No! What's happening? Angela?" he called to her, she was very still. Hiei feared that she had died. _-No...Mukuro warned me...She told me to take the chance or I might miss it forever...And I have...-_ He hung his head and cried.

As he held her tightly to his chest he heard a moan. Angela stirred in his arms. Hiei held her a little away from him, looking at her. She opened her eyes. They shown brightly. "Hiei..." she whispered.

Hiei held her gently, smiling and laughing in relief and happiness. "Angela, you came back to me," he breathed, in tears.

"Yes, with my whole heart and life. When the Darkness was sealed, my life that it had stolen returned." She saw his tears. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry."

Hiei shook his head. "No. I'm sorry." She looked at him quizzicaly. Hiei smiled. "I'm sorry I never told you earlier. And I almost lost my chance and you forever. So I'll say it now." He held her close. "I love you and I want you to be my wife."

Angela smiled. "I love you and I want to be your wife."

Hiei leaned down and kissed her deeply. Everyone cheered. Yusuke and Kurama knelt beside them, while Kuwabara clapped Hiei on the shoulder. "It's about time Shrimp," he said, using his nickname fondly.

"Yeah, I was about to give you the 'kick in the ass' method to get you motivated," Yusuke said.

Kurama laughed as he hugged Angela gently. "I thought we had lost you again. I'm so happy that you survived." He looked to Hiei. "I'm happy for the both of you. Keep her safe, Hiei. And congratulations."

Yusuke looked at Kurama. "Man, you aren't very articulate when you're emotional." He laughed, Kurama joining him. The DT gang swarmed around them, shouting congratulations, cheers, and happiness that Angela was alright.

Star pushed through them and hugged Angela gently, crying. "I thought I almost lost you. You're like a sister to me."

Angela smiled. "And you me. Come with us, to Japan. It will be alright. You can meet the rest of my family." The men around her smiled. "Besides, Hiei will have at least four grooms men and I'll have only three brides maids, unless you come."

Star smiled. "That would be nice. But maybe I should have taken japanese in college."

Angela smiled in turn, "Oh we have gadgets to fix that problem."

Hiei saw Mukuro sneak away from the crowd. He gently put Angela down and followed her. "Mukuro, I've been meaning to ask you. What did you think of me?" he asked quietly.

Mukuro turned to him. "At first a lover. Then after awhile, just a friend. Seeing you now, happy. I realize that I think of you more now as a brother or a son." She turned away again. "What did you think of me?"

Hiei thought about it. "I'm not sure. Maybe I thought about you the same way you thought about me."

Mukuro nodded, then she yelled over her shoulder. "Border patrol! Time to take these humans back to safety!" She walked to the house, closely followed by Yomi and all of the demons, with the exception of the DT gang. The humans also went with Mukuro and the others, leaving Hiei, Angela, Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Star and the DT gang.

They stayed there until Angela could move again. When she could move again, she stood up, Hiei holding her waist, and she looked at the stars. "My family helped me. Like Guardian Angels, they gave me their power to defeat the darkness." She cried gently. "Thank you."

Hiei leaned over and kissed her. "They'll always be here for you, as will I and the rest of us."

She smiled at him. "I know." She looked at everyone. "I think it's about time we head home. But after we get the other psychics home." They nodded.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do own Angela.

AN: This is the last chapter. If you want it to go on, leave a review. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to think up a good story line. It may take awhile.

WARNING: Suggestive adult themes.

REVISED AN: Hey, how'd ya'll like the new format and moderate alterations? Is it better than the first version. I'm now going to revise Bleeding Angel, and please read that one too. For some odd reason not many people like it compared to the amount of readers for Waking Angel. Okay, small time detail changed to fit into the time line.

Legend:

_Music_

**Noise**

_**-Telepathy-**_

_-Thought-_

_/Flashbacks/_

_**/Visions/Dreams/**_

Chapter Twenty Two

When they arrived at the shrine, Yukina, Botan, Shizuru, and Koenma were waiting for them.

"Angela!" Yukina and Botan yelled together as they ran towards Angela. They hugged her tightly.

"Oh! I thought we'd never see you again," Yukina exclaimed, almost crying.

Botan, however, bawled. "Angela! I've missed you so much!" Angela smiled.

Shizuru came over and rubbed the top of Angela's head. "Missed ya, kido."

Angela stepped back. "Oh, Yukina! You've gotten so big!"

"Well..It's expected when you're five months pregnant," Yukina said smiling.

Angela smiled back. "Well, that just means we'll have to specialy make your dress for the wedding."

"Wedding!" The three women asked.

Hiei walked up to them and held Angela's hand. "Yes, Hiei's aksed me to marry him," Angela said, looking into Hiei's eyes, smiling.

The three women started hugging her and Hiei again. "That's wonderful!" Yukina said, smiling.

"It's about time! I was about to hit him with my oar if he didn't ask you soon," Botan joked.

"I had something similar in mind too," Shizuru said.

Koenma came and clapped Hiei on the shoulder. "You're a lucky man."

Yukina turned and hugged Hiei. "I knew you loved her and that you would tell her eventually."

Hiei looked a little uncomfortable being hugged by Yukina. Angela, sensing his feelings, quickly distracted the women. "Girls, I want you to meet Star," she said, taking them to Star, who stood nervously beside Yusuke. "I met her when I was captured and escaped. She's like a sister to me and I want her to be like a sister to ya'll."

Yukina smiled at the red head. "If you're Angela's sister, then you're ours." She hugged Star who hugged her back, awkwardly. The other two hugged her as well, welcoming her into the family.

When they finished hugging her, Yukina went to Kuwabara. "I'm so relieved that you're alright Kazuma," she whispered as Kuwabara gently hugged her.

Botan walked up to Kurama. "Uh...I'm...Oh, hell!" She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I was so worried!"

Kurama laughed and hugged her back. He gently pushed her away. He looked at Hiei. **_-Will you mind a double wedding?-_** he asked.

**_-I'd be happy to have a double wedding,-_** Hiei replied, smiling.

Kurama looked at Botan and said "I'll be right back." He ran into the shrine.

After a few minutes he came back and walked to Botan. He knelt down on one knee and held out an open ring box, showing a small silver diamond ring. He held Botan's left hand. "Botan," he said. Botan blushed. "Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Botan knelt down with him and hugged him tightly. "Yes, yes! I will!" Kurama stood up, still holding Botan and swung her around, laughing. Everyone clapped.

Angela looked to Hiei. "I no longer have to look at the stars to see hope. I only have to look around me. At you, at my family now. I see hope in everything. And it's all thanks to you." Hiei smiled and pulled her close, kissing her and holding her.

"Wowee! Ol' Jin here's trying hard to keep from cryin'," Jin said, wipping his eyes. Touya nodded.

"I wish Chu was as strong as you," Rinku said as he covered his head from Chu's tears.

"I can't help it," Chu blubbered. "It's such a happy time."

"Yeah, and you're drunk and too emotional!" Rinku griped.

Suzuka was crying too. "Ah, such a beautiful thing, love." He reached up and grabbed Shishi and used him like a handkerchief.

"Hey! Stop it!" Shishi yelled.

Star looked on the happy couples, particularly Angela and Hiei. "I'm happy for her. But I can't help but feel envious of her love. I wonder if I'll find love."

Yusuke looked at her. "Everyone will have their chance at love. You never know when you'll find it, but you'll find it. Sometimes you don't know you've got it until it slaps you in the face." He laughed, remembering all the times Keiko had slapped him.

Star looked up at him and smiled. _-I think I'll get along great with this guy,-_ she thought. Yusuke smiled back at her.

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"Oh! You two look so beautiful!" Yukina exclaimed as she looked at the two brides.

Angela was dressed in a white shoulder-less dress, with a white corset with small pearl decorations. The skirt fell all the way to her feet, flaring out only a little, while the train, starting from a small bow at the back of the corset, fell a foot behind her. Her low heeled white shoes had tiny pearl decorations. Her hair had braids in it that wrapped around her forehead with small beads wrapped through her braids. The hair that wasn't in braids fell down her back in soft waves. Her veil started from two pearl barrets that were placed above her braids at the sides of her head, making it look as if the veil fell from her braids. Her make up was done in soft shades of pink, with a touch of pale green around her eyes.

Botan wore a long sleeved classical wedding gown. The sleeves started from just below her shoulders and ended over the back of her hands with silver colored lining on the cuffs with a small pearl near where the cuff reached the middle finger. The neckline of the dress was a princess cut with a thick silver lining with a small pearl at the middle of the neckline where it dipped towards her breasts. The dress was body fitting until it reached her hips where a belt of pearls lined her waist. The skirt flowed out around her, ending slightly past her feet, where a thick strip of silver lined the hem. Her train started at a big bow at her lower back, and ended a few feet behind her. Her high heeled shoes were silver with a pearl on the top. Most of her hair was rolled up into a bun at the back of her head. The rest tumbled around her shoulders in curls. Her veil started from a tiara of pearls. Her make up was also done in pink but instead of green she had white around her eyes.

"Yeah. I'd say we did a great job. What do you two think about us?" Shizuru asked. She, Yukina, and Star were in light pink spagetti strap dresses that fell to their ankles, body fitting for Shizuru and Star and a special dress for the eighth month pregnant Yukina. Their shoes were low heeled light pink. Their make up was done in soft shades of pink and they each wore a pearl necklace. Yukina's hair was again in the three french braids with the pearl barrets, while Shizuru had curled her hair, and Star pulled her hair back into one braid.

"You look wonderful." Angela said, smiling. "Well, we couldn't over do it. It would be horrible for the brides maids to out shine the brides," Shizuru joked.

Botan started crying. "Thank you three," she said as she carefully hugged them.

Angela did the same. "It makes us happy that you're here."

"We wouldn't miss it for anything," Star said.

Angela smiled when she hugged Yukina. "Well...You, and we, might have needed to miss it if Yukina went into labor. I've been wondering if we shouldn't have held it off until you gave birth."

Yukina smiled. "No, you two have waited too long for this day as it is."

Botan heard a cough and looked to the door. Her eyes widened. "Angela, look," she whispered.

Angela looked, and gasped. It was her parents. "We've been given the permission to be here to give our baby away," her dad said.

Botan hugged Angela, explaining "A wedding gift from Koenma. We'll leave you three alone now." She and the other women left.

Angela stood there, silent tears rolling down her face. "I thought I'd never see you again after that time in the garden."

Her parents came to her and hugged her. "Oh my baby," her mother cried. "You've grown into a beautiful woman. I'm so proud of you." Her mother let go of her so that her father could hold her.

"I know how much you've been through. I wish we had been there for you," he said.

Angela cried. "You were there for me, remember. You've always been there for me."

Her father smiled. "I've always wondered if I was a good father. If I raised you right."

"You were the best father. You did raise me right." They held each other and cried for a bit.

Finally her father held her away from him. "Now we're giving you away, into someone else's care. I know he'll be good to you."

"I know Daddy," Angela said, smiling.

"But just because you're getting married doesn't mean that you won't still be our baby girl," her mother said, hugging Angela by the shoulders.

"Well..." Her father said. "I think it's just about time."

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Yusuke and Kuwabara took their places beside Hiei and Kurama. They were standing in the shrine. A white wooden arch with lace drapped around it stood in front of the large statue. A podium, where Koenma was standing at, stood in front of the arch. A soft pink carpet rolled from the podium to the entrance of the shrine, where another white archway stood. Several rows of white wooden chairs filled the shrine, seating for the numerous demons and humans.

Yusuke looked at the two grooms and snickered. "I never thought I'd live to see Hiei wear white!"

Hiei just ignored him. He and Kurama were dressed in white tuxes while Yusuke and Kuwabara were dressed in light blue tuxes.

"That's because we never imagined him to get married," Koenma joked. He was dressed in a black tux.

Kurama laughed, joining in "Yes, well after he met Angela, it was inevitable that he'd get married."

Hiei smiled at the mention of Angela. "Yes, well I never imagined you to marry Botan," Hiei said.

Kurama laughed, "Neither did I, but no one can predict who they will fall in love with and marry."

Yusuke smiled. "You're friends can. Me, Shizuru and Koenma were playing match maker." "

I kind of figured that," Kurama said.

Yusuke shrugged. "Now all we have to do is marry off Koenma!"

Koenma glared. "I can marry myself thank you very much."

Yusuke quirked an eyebrow. "I wonder how the honeymoon would go if you married yourself."

Koenma turned red. "Uh...I didn't mean it that way!"

At that moment, Jin flew in. "The lasses are ready." Everyone straightened up and took their places.

The wedding song started softly and Yukina, Shizuru and Star, each carring a small bouquet, walked up the aisle where they took their places on the left side. The wedding song grew louder. Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance. In walked Botan and Angela, both carrying bouquets of white and pink roses, with Angela's father in between them. Hiei's and Kurama's hearts lifted as they saw their brides. As the two brides reached the grooms, Angela's father gave Botan to Kurama and Angela to Hiei. He then stepped back and took a seat beside his wife. The men lifted the veils of their brides.

"So beautiful," Kurama said.

Hiei nodded, "Yes, beautiful..."

Koenma coughed, getting the attention of the brides and grooms. "We're here today to join Hiei and Angela and Kurama and Botan..." Koenma started the marriage ritual.

"...Please take out the rings," Koenma said. Hiei and Kurama took their rings from the pillow that Rinku was holding. "Place the ring on your brides' ring fingers." Hiei placed a silver ring with a diamond surrounded by tiny wings on Angela's ring finger. She gasped at the beauty of it. Kurama placed a silver ring with a diamond enveloped by roses on Botan's ring finger.

Botan smiled at the symbolism. _-So many things happened because of his roses. One of them being us getting together. And he uses his roses to fight for and protect the ones he loves.-_

"Now Hiei, repeat after me. I, Hiei..." Koenma said.

Hiei looked into Angela's eyes. "I, Hiei..."

"Take you, Angela," Koenma said.

"Take you, Angela," Hiei repeated.

"To be my wife."

"To be my wife," Hiei smiled, liking the way 'wife' sounded.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold." **_-I'll always hold you,-_** Hiei silently promised.

"To cherish and love."

"To cherish and love." **_-You're my true and only love,-_ **Hiei said to Angela.

"Forever more."

"Forever more." **_-For ever more and eternity.-_** Angela smiled at the love she could feel in his voice and mind touch.

Koenma turned to Kurama. "Repeat after me Kurama. I, Kurama..."

"I, Kurama..." Kurama repeated, looking into Botan's eyes.

"Take you, Botan."

"Take you, Botan."

"To be my wife."

"To be my wife." Kurama smiled at the term 'wife'. He had never thought he would get to say that word.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold." He squeezed Botan's hands.

"To cherish and love."

"To cherish and love." **_-Truely and deeply,-_** he said to her, using his slight telepathic ability.

"Forever more."

"Forever more." Botan, without any psychic ability, could feel and sense the adamant promise in Kurama's voice and heart when he said those words.

Koenma turned to the girls. "Please take out your rings and place them on the grooms ring fingers." Angel picked up a silver ring with flame engravings. Botan pick up a silver ring that had small rose engravings. "Now, Angela, repeat after me. I, Angela..." Koenma said.

"I, Angela..." Angela said, staring into Hiei's eyes.

"Take you, Hiei," Koenma said.

"Take you, Hiei," she repeated, treasuring his name.

"To be my husband."

"To be my husband," she loved the word 'husband' and automatically associated it with 'Hiei'.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold." **_-And I'll always hold you,-_** she responded to Hiei's promise on the same line.

"To cherish and love."

"To cherish and love." **_-You're also my one and only true love, my dear,- _** she said warmly.

"Forever more."

"Forever more." **_-Beyond eternity,-_** she promised him, sending all her love through her empathic ability.

Koenma turned to Botan, who was staring into Kurama's eyes. "Now, Botan, repeat after me. I, Botan..."

"I, Botan..." she repeated, gazing into Kurama's green eyes.

"Take you, Kurama."

"Take you, Kurama," she smiled at his name.

"To be my husband."

"To be my husband." _-I never thought I would say that,-_ she thought in a happy daze.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold," she said, squeezing his hands, unable to send him telepathic messages of her love to him she did the best she could.

"To cherish and love."

"To cherish and love," she smiled warmly at him, loving the word 'love'. She knew he would be the only one that she would love.

"Forever more."

"Forever more," she repeated, gazing deeply into his eyes, wanting to jump into his arms and kiss him just as deeply with all the love bursting in her heart. Kurama knew what she was thinking and nodded, showing that he felt the same.

Koenma looked at the couples. "By the power in vested in me, I pronounce you husbands and wives. You may now kiss the brides." Kurama took Botan and kissed her deeply, bending her over, while Hiei kissed Angela gently at first then deeply. Cheers errupted from everyone.

"Now it's time for the party!" Yusuke yelled.

The DT gang and several helpers started to fold and move the chairs out of the way and pulled out a sound system and the tables laded with food that had been hiding next to a wall. On it were two multi tiered wedding cakes. They both had white icing but they had different colored decorations. One had silver and green, the other had pink and blue.

"Time to cut the cake you four," Kuwabara said, handing Hiei and Angela one knife and Kurama and Botan another.

Kurama and Botan stood in front of the blue and pink cake and Angela and Hiei stood in front of the green and silver. "You two first," Botan said.

Angela nodded. "Well, here's to the second thing we do as husband and wife," she said to Hiei, as they took a hold of the knife. They turned to the cake and sliced it. Cheers went up. Botan and Kurama took their turn. More cheers errupted.

"Now time for the messy part," Shizuru said.

Angela laughed as she and Hiei cut a peice of cake for each other. Hiei looked to Kurama. "We won't do it unless you two do it with us."

Yusuke laughed. "Yuck! We didn't want to know that!" he joked. Star laughed beside him. Kurama shook his head and rolled his eyes.

He and Botan cut out a piece of cake for each other. "Alright..." Kurama said, holding his peice of cake. "Go!" He started to feed Botan the peice of cake he was holding, then he smooshed it over her mouth. Botan laughed and took her revenge and smashed the cake she was holding into Kurama's face.

Angela and Hiei had looked at each other before Kurama had 'fed' Botan, then Hiei and Angela smashed their cakes into each others faces at the same time. Everyone cheered again and laughed.

"Now it's time we went and changed," Hiei said, wiping the cake off of his suit.

Angela nodded as she took Botan's hand. "Let's get out of these dresses and into something comfier." Botan nodded. Yukina, Shizuru and Star came to help the wives change.

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Hiei and Kurama were about to leave their changing room when Angela's father came in. "I just wanted to share a few words," he said, Hiei and Kurama paused. "I know you both are good men. I don't think these girls could be in safer hands. But I also know that you two live dangerous lives. I want you to promise me to love them as if there were no tomorrow." Hiei and Kurama nodded.

"After nearly losing Angela, I don't think I could do anything other than love her as if there were no tomorrow," Hiei said. Kurama nodded, agreeing with him.

"Then take care of them, take care of my baby girl," Angela's father said the last part to Hiei, tears in his eyes. "I don't think she could have picked a better man," he said as he walked back to the training room.

Hiei and Kurama came back in, Hiei wearing a white version of what he usually wore, Kurama wearing a white long sleeved shirt that was buttoned down showing his chest and tan slacks. After a few minutes the girls returned, Angela wearing a white spagetti strap body fiting dress that reached mid thigh, Botan wearing a white long sleeved dress that flared out at the hip and reached her knees. Both wore white low heeled shoes.

"Now we can dance!" Jin said, excitedly, wanting to try the moves that he had seen the girls teach the guys.

A slow song came on and everyone cleared the floor, making a dance floor. The new husbands pulled their wives onto the dance floor and started to dance slowly. Every now and then they would kiss. After awhile other couples joined the dance. Shizuru with Drake, who had taken the news about demons and the Spirit world existing quite well, Yukina and Kuwabara, Yusuke and Star, and several others.

Yomi sensed where Mukuro was and went to stand with her at the back. "What is going through your head when you see Hiei there with Angela?" he asked.

Mukuro sighed. "I think of how happy they are. And how proud I am of Hiei for finally telling her he loves her."

Yomi shook his head, "That's not all. What are you feeling?"

Mukuro sighed again. "Lonely I guess."

Yomi smiled. "Well, we can be lonely together then." Mukuro looked at him and smiled too.

Angela and Hiei danced to several songs, looking into each others eyes. At one point they bumped into Yukina and Kuwabara, who hugged them and congratulated them. Angela saw the look that passed over Hiei's face as he watched Yukina dance with Kuwabara. Angela leaned to him and whispered in his ear. "Tell her. She want's her brother to be here for the birth of the twins." Hiei looked at her, unsure. She pleaded again, "Please. Remember how you waited until I nearly died before you told me you loved me. Don't take that risk with Yukina."

Hiei thought about it, then he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Yusuke smiling. "Can I have a dance with one of the lovely brides?" Hiei nodded and passed Angela to Yusuke.

Angela smiled. "That was a good crack," she said, commenting on the remark he had made before the two couples had smashed cake into each others mouths.

"You should have heard the one I made when Koenma said he could marry himself," Yusuke said laughing.

"I think I can guess at what you said," Angela said, eyes sparkling. She caught sight of Star dancing with Jin. "I see that you and Star have been getting along nicely," she said, smiling.

Yusuke smiled back. "Yeah...Remember what you told me about the stars." Angela nodded. "Well I thought about it and found that I don't have to look at the stars above, but at the Star in front of me to see hope and peace." Angela smiled. Yusuke went on. "I thought I would never find love again when I realized that we weren't meant for each other. But now I think I have found it again. But I can't help feeling that I've betrayed Keiko."

Angela hugged him. "Keiko will be happy that you've moved on and started a new life. I'm sure this is what she meant when she said make something of yourself and not to mourn her forever."

Yusuke nodded. He hugged her back. "Thanks Angela."

Angela caught sight of her parents at the side door. "Excuse me," she said as she left Yusuke.

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Hiei found Kuwabara and Yukina dancing. He tapped Kuwabara's shoulder as Yusuke had done to him. Kuwabara turned. "Can I talk to Yukina?" Hiei asked. Kuwabara nodded.

Yukina turned to Hiei. "What is it?" she asked gently seeing an odd look pass over Hiei's face.

"Lets go outside and talk." He led her to the porch in the front. They sat there for a moment. Finally Hiei sighed. "I have something I need to tell you..." Yukina nodded, encouraging him to go on. "I found your brother, but he wants to know if you'll accept him before he comes out and admits it." Yukina nodded again. Hiei took in a breath. "He led a bloody life once. He killed ruthlessly, and even enjoyed it at one point. Then something happened that made him think twice about his life. He started to wonder about his homeland, his mother, his sister. After he lost the hiruseki stone that his mother cried for him, he began to think seriously about finding his stone and his homeland. After many hardships he found the Land of Ice, but he found that his mother had died and that his sister had disappeared into the Human world. He went to Human world to find her, along the way he made the mistake of upseting the Spirit world. He was caught and punished. He was then released. After spending time with the people of Spirit world and it's human allies he slowly began to change. He was no longer a ruthless killer. I met him at the demon tournament for king. He's been in the border patrol since. He still leads a dangerous life. He had no intention of letting you know who he was because he didn't want you to know about the bloody life he's led." Hiei finished, not looking at Yukina.

Yukina smiled. "I don't care what type of life he led. I only care about him being my brother." Yukina turned Hiei's head towards her, asking gently "Brother?" Hiei nodded. "I had hoped that you might have been my brother," she said as she hugged him. "I'm glad that you've finally told me." She let him go. "Let's go back inside. I'm sure our spouses are wondering where we are." Hiei nodded, feeling like a weight had lifted off his chest.

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Angela found her parents standing beside the pond. "Mom, Dad?" she asked. "You're going away again, aren't you?"

Her dad nodded. He held out his arms. "For good this time." Angela ran to him and her mother.

She hugged them tightly, crying "I won't miss you because I know you'll be there."

"Always, my baby girl," her father said as he and her mother disappeared.

Angela stood there for a few minutes, crying. Finally she wiped the tears off and went back to the party. Inside she found Hiei waiting for her. He hugged her gently. "I'm here for you. I'll do anything for you, just to see you smile," he said.

Angela smiled. "And I you."

Hiei smiled and gently kissed her. "I think it's time we left for our honeymoon."

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously. She realized during the two month preparation of the wedding she had totally forgotten to plan the honeymoon.

"There's a cottage beside a lake in Demon World, the area's safe and peacefull. There the air is clear and you can see the stars perfectly. And the sunrises and sunsets are magnificent. Many times I have gone there to relax and get away from the border patrol."

"Ah...Sounds wonderfull. I can't wait," she whispered as she leaned in for another kiss.

Hiei smiled. "Then let's leave." She nodded.

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They arrived at the cottage just as the sunset. "Oh! You were right. The sunset is amazing," Angela cried happily. Hiei smiled at her. They watched the sunset then stayed out awhile to star gaze.

Angela looked at him. "Let's go inside," she said, smiling.

Hiei carried her in bridal style, then gently laid her on the bed. She pulled him down, kissing him. "This is one dance I don't know, can you teach me?" Angela said sultry.

Hiei smiled. "Yes," he said as he kissed her.

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"Ahhh!" Yukina yelled. Kuwabara held her hand, wincing as she nearly crushed his hand.

"Push Yukina! Push!" one of the doctors urged.

"Nnngg!" Yukina pushed hard.

A wailing started. "It's a girl!" one of the nurses said as she took the baby from the doctor.

The doctor turned to Yukina. "Okay, one more to go."

A group of people stood in the hall around the room Yukina was in.

"That's it, I need a cigarette," Shizuru said as she heard another scream.

Yusuke stopped his pacing and nodded. "I'll join you."

Angela took up Yusuke's pacing. Botan and Star sat beside each other gripping hands. Kurama looked out the window, and Hiei leaned against the wall, keeping his eyes on Angela, wincing when ever Yukina screamed.

Suddenly Angela became dizzy. Hiei was at her side in an instant, saying "You should be sitting down."

Angela smiled at him. "It's just morning sickness. It's normal. You don't have to baby me."

"Hn. Let's just say I'm practicing," Hiei said as he sat her beside Botan and Star.

Another scream form the room made everyone jump. "It's a boy!" they heard the doctor say. "You did a good job Yukina." Everyone sighed.

After several minutes Kuwabara came out, smiling. "A boy and a girl!" he said proudly as Yusuke and Shizuru came back.

"That's great," Yusuke said, clapping Kuwabara on the shoulder. "What're their names?"

"We're calling the girl Sakura and the boy Ken," Kuwabara said, still beaming proudly.

"Good names. So I guess the girl has red hair?" Angela asked smiling.

Kuwabara nodded. He came over and clapped Hiei on the shoulder. "Just think, in a few months you and Angela will be picking names. Or at least making a list."

Hiei smiled. Angela walked to him and put her arm around his waist. He smiled more and put his arm around her waist. "I think about it all the time. That is if I'm not thinking about you," he said to Angela.

The doctor came out. "A few of you can see her, but she especialy wants Hiei to be one of the first." Hiei nodded and brought Angela with him into the room.

Yukina smiled as she held Ken and Sakura. "What do you think of your neice and nephew?" she asked tiredly.

Hiei smiled. "They're beautiful."

Angela nodded and leaned over Yukina to kiss her forehead. "Just like their mother," she said.

Yukina smiled more. "Thank you Angela, for being there and for becoming a sister, not just through marriage," Yukina said.

Angela understood what she meant. "Thank you for being a sister too."

"Hiei, thank you for finally telling me. I already thought of you as a brother, and I am thrilled to find that you are my real brother. My children couldn't have a better uncle. Thank you for being there for me," Yukina said to Hiei, smiling gently.

Hiei nodded. "I think we should let the others have their turns to take a look at the babies and congratulate you," Hiei said, smiling as he and Angela left.

As they walked back into the hall, Angela turned to Hiei. "You know, as a child I'd dream of being on a great adventure like some kind of heroine and I'd meet my knight in shining armor that would save me time and again, and at the end of my adventures I'd marry him and have a happy ending." She smiled, "I dreamed of a tall and blonde handsome man, I never dreamed he'd be shorter than me with dark hair." Hiei smiled. Angela continued. "It turned out that my knight is a dark and mysterious man." She leaned close to him, "And I prefer him over the knight in shining armor." She kissed him. "I have my happy ending."

Hiei shook his head and touched her stomach. "Not an ending, but a begining."


End file.
